AS365 N3 Dauphin 2 helicopter from Customs Surveillance Service (SVA), Spanish Tax Agency (AEAT).
Hlcopters photo by Hugo Ramos.
April 16, 2024. — Customs Surveillance Officials (Vigilancia Aduanera) from the Tax Agency (AEAT), in a joint operation with agents from the National Police (Policía Nacional), Civil Guard (Guardia Civil) and the Portuguese Judicial Police (Policía Judiciária), have dismantled the largest Strait drug transport network, which was behind recent seizures of 4,000 kilos of hashish and 627 kilos of cocaine.
This operation, —exploited simultaneously in Spain and Portugal, and coordinated by the Special Anti-Drug Prosecutor’s Office of Jerez— has ended with the arrest of 19 people, plus another 12 who were already in prison and the carrying out of 24 home searches. Likewise, it has allowed up to four operations of the organization to be aborted and three short weapons, 1.4 million euros in cash, 19 high-end vehicles, communication systems, computer equipment, two drug boats in the Portuguese country and three others seized. boats in Spain. 250 agents participated in the operation.
The operations center was located in a luxurious residential area in Lisbon, from where a historic drug trafficker directed and coordinated all naval operations; They also had infrastructure and a wide network of collaborators in the Cadiz town of Sanlúcar de Barrameda, where the ringleaders of the network originated. The organization had an average of between eight and ten EAV boats (High Speed Vessels), known as «narcolanchas», which were in the water at all times, with their respective crews, as well as a large network of small boats that he used to provide the previous ones with everything they needed (food, gasoline, etc.).
The investigation began in May of last year, when agents detected that the criminal organization tried to collect a shipment of 6,000 kilos of cocaine from a «narco-submarine» (low profile vessel) coming from South America. However, the mechanical problems that the boat suffered during the voyage caused it to sink, a fact that frustrated the criminal action.
From that moment on, police investigations revolved around the functioning of the organization’s structure, proving that its leaders were based in the Cádiz towns of Sanlúcar de Barrameda, Chipiona and El Cuervo.
Operations center in Lisbon equipped with high technology
Given the great economic potential of the organization, its members had strict security and self-protection measures. In this sense, they had the most advanced means to transmit information both individually and in naval communications.
Thanks to the close collaboration of the Portuguese Policía Judiciária, the agents located the operations center of the Strait drug transport network, which was located in a luxurious urbanization on the outskirts of Lisbon.
The operational center was directed by a historic drug trafficker, on the run from Spanish justice, who was in charge of directing and coordinating all naval operations. In addition, it was equipped with the highest technology at the level of communications, which allowed them absolute control of all their vessels for the loading, transportation and unloading of the narcotic, as well as total surveillance of the air and maritime means of transport. the Security Forces and Corps that operate in the Strait.
In this way, every time there was an operation, the leaders of the organization traveled from Spain to coordinate the necessary infrastructure that would allow it to be carried out, in turn establishing direct contact with those responsible for the narcotic merchandise.
Infrastructure and a wide network of collaborators in Sanlúcar
The network had an average of between eight and ten EAV vessels that were in the water at all times, with their respective crews, to carry out the different transportation of merchandise —regardless of what type (hashish, cocaine)— and other national or international organizations that demand their services.
In addition, it had a large network of small boats, including fishing boats, through which it provided the EAVs with gasoline, food or any other material necessary to carry out the transportation.
The investigation confirmed that the leaders of the organization, originally from Sanlúcar de Barrameda, used this Cadiz city as a base of operations in our country. This responded, on the one hand, to the perfect knowledge they had of the area and its orography and, on the other, to the large network of collaborators they had in said municipality.
Simultaneous arrests and searches in Spain and Portugal
This operation has allowed up to four operations of the criminal organization to be aborted, as well as the seizure of two drug boats in Portugal and three other vessels in our country. On the other hand, the investigation has proven that the dismantled network was behind recent seizures of 4,000 kilos of hashish and 627 kilos of cocaine.
The operational exploitation, carried out simultaneously in Spain and Portugal, has ended with the arrest of 31 members of the organization and the carrying out of 24 home searches. Three short weapons, 1.4 million euros in cash, 19 high-end vehicles, communication systems, computer equipment and two ‘narco-boats’ have been seized in the Portuguese country, plus three other vessels in Spain. 250 agents participated in the operation.
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