Huge drug smuggling bust in Malaga

THE Guardia Civil has seized more than 1600 kilos of hashish intended for the north of Spain. The drugs totaled around €10 million and were stashed in a truck hidden between canned goods intended for sale. 

Operation ‘PARRALAZO’, conducted by the Guardia Civil, bust open the criminal network responsible for smuggling the drugs originally from Morocco with the help of specialist sniffer dogs. 

Three people have been arrested including the driver who was transporting the drugs from Malaga to Amorebieta (Vizcaya), all were Spanish nationals aged 68, 53 and 36 and have all now been charged with crimes against public health and belonging to a criminal organisation. 

Investigations began after authorities became suspicious of documents that were seized in trafficking narcotics and in particular hashish. 

An undercover operation took place for several months as investigators worked to identify the traffickers. The gang was followed by agents as they regularly held their discreet criminal meetings in coffee shops and shopping malls across Malaga. 

Speedboats were used to send drugs direct to Malaga from the African continent where they were then hidden in a warehouse, rented in an industrial unit in the city, before being transported to the north of Spain.  

Investigators waited for the perfect moment to pounce, when they saw the drugs had moved from the warehouse to the truck they decided to follow and intercept the gang on the AP-1 near Quintanapalla (Burgos). Fifty packages of hashish with a total weight of 1,629 kilos were found stashed in the lorry. The officers also carried out raids in in Logroño and Amorebieta where computer equipment, a vehicle and documentation were seized. 

The truck and a further three high-end vehicles used by the criminal group were later seized worth more than €200,000.