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ARCHIVED - Arrests in Murcia and Alicante after 2.5 tonnes of hashish found on yacht
The arrests were made in Cartagena and La Manga del Mar Menor in the Murcia region and Santa Pola in Alicante province.
The Guardia Civil has arrested six men aged 25 to 69 after 2.5 tonnes of hashish was found hidden amongst plastic diesel drums on board a yacht in Santa Pola in March 2021.
Three of the criminal gang members arrested on May 13, including the gang leader, have now been imprisoned, and the others released "under precautionary measures".
The Guardia Civil's Organised Crime and Anti-Drug Team (EDOA) in Alicante launched an investigation three months ago after suspecting a yacht had taken drugs on board at sea.
And so, on March 23, the Guardia Civil requested Judicial Authority to search the yacht, which had been abandoned in Santa Pola port.
Inside, officers found almost 2.5 tonnes of hashish hidden amongst 50 blue plastic diesel drums, with a capacity of 50 litres each, as well as in 23 hessian burlap bales.
Intensive investigations led police to believe those responsible belonged to a drug trafficking criminal network based in the provinces of Alicante and Murcia.
And with the support of the Fiscal and Border Patrol (PAFIF) of Cabo de Palos and San Javier Guardia Civil, all six suspects - five Spanish and one Albanian - were arrested.
The criminal gang is considered dangerous, having been found to have multiple priors for drug offences, membership of a criminal organisation and possession of firearms. One had also been involved in a killing in Murcia region in 2007.
IMAGE: Guardia Civil