Spanish Police Mistake 24,000 Kilos of Sardines for Hashish Shipment

An inspection that goes wrong. "Procomar alimentos" was transporting a refrigerated truck from Morocco, filled with 24,000 kilos of frozen sardines, when the vehicle was intercepted by customs in Algeciras, reports El país.

According to the Spanish daily, the Malaga police, the Algeciras customs and a judge from the city of Estepona suspected that there was hashish hidden among the sardines. To carry out its inspection, the police had to immobilize the vehicle and then reduce the temperature of the refrigerated trailer.

The inspection proved fruitless: no trace of drugs. As a result, this check has damaged the sardines which will end up straight in the trash.

Upset by this "judicial error", the Spanish company, based in Malaga, is demanding 18,500 euros from the Spanish Ministry of Justice, except that no one wants to take responsibility in this case.

The customs and the Ministry of Justice are asking "Procomar alimentos" to cover the costs of this judicial decision, especially since the judge who authorized the police action presumed a drug trafficking operation.

For its part, the Spanish company claims to have complied with all the rules regarding imports. It estimates the loss recorded, respectively, at 17,000 euros, for the entire merchandise, and at 1,597.53 euros, for the round-trip transport costs, as well as for those of customs.