5926 Kg Hashish Seized By Spain & 10 Drug Mafia Gang Members Arrested Following Attack On Patrol Boat

Spanish authorities have arrested 10 members of a drug trafficking group in a recent operation which led to the discovery of 5926 kg of hashish and the seizure of two small, high-speed narco boats.

The accused are also being charged for attacking a patrol boat of the Guardia Civil and opening fire on the officers.

The incident occurred off Huelva when the patrol boat and a customs surveillance service ship got suspicious of a small boat and decided to approach it to get information about its destination and cargo.

However, the men increased their speed, leading to a long pursuit in which the crew tried to dodge the patrol boat by even throwing a few drug parcels into the water to prevent the patrol vessel from reaching them.

The situation turned dangerous when they began firing towards the patrol vessel. The officers also fired many shots; however, the perpetrators fled as the patrol ship suffered a mechanical failure mid-chase.

According to sources, the Guardia Civil shot one of the members of the gang, who was left by his team on a beach in Cadiz. The injured man went to a hospital for treatment, after which he was arrested by the Police.

The authorities decided to trace the boat, arrest its crew and find out about the gang involved in the illegal drug trafficking.

On Thursday, 9 men were arrested and a second speedboat which provided them support was also seized. A probe has begun into the incident; authorities want to determine the gang members’ role, how they carry out such illegal transfers at sea, the top destinations where drugs are sent and more.

The incident shows the violent ways adopted by drug cartels functioning off the shores of southern Spain.

Data from the Centre for Intelligence Against Terrorism & Organised Crime in Spain highlights that hashish seizures doubled to 43 tonnes in Huelva last year, along with an increase in attacks on officers.

The illegal activities have spread across Andalusia, and according to reports, just three months back, two officers from the Guardia Civil were killed during a collision involving narco boats.