Spanish Police Bust Major Moroccan Hashish Ring, Seize 376 Kilos of Drugs

The criminal network was transporting the drugs by sea from Morocco, storing them in warehouses before transporting them by truck to countries like France, Belgium and the Netherlands. The police operation led to the arrest of 21 people and the seizure of 296 kilos of marijuana, 80 kilos of hashish, eight boats, six outboard motors, four trailers, 4,200 liters of fuel and around 16,000 euros in cash.

The investigation began in 2021 after the discovery of the criminal network’s activities, which was transporting large quantities of hashish between the coasts of the Campo de Gibraltar and Morocco, the national police said in a statement. The police pressure on the coasts of Cadiz and Malaga led the organization to expand its activities to other regions in Spain such as Almeria, Extremadura, Murcia and the Valencian Community.

The 296 kilos of marijuana were seized in a warehouse in Corbera (Valencia) during a phase of the operation. They were hidden in lettuce, inside a refrigerated truck whose driver and sole passenger were arrested. Then, 40 bales of hashish weighing 80 kilos were found in the false bottom of the doors of a trailer in Murcia. The 21 arrested people will be prosecuted for drug trafficking, money laundering, smuggling and membership in a criminal organization.