International Operation Dismantles International Drug Trafficking Network
During an international operation, one of the records that have been made was the dismantling of an international criminal network of drug traffickers based in Marbella. The National Police, in a joint operation with the German BKA and ZKA and the French National Police, managed to break up the network which had armed escorts for their protection. The drugs were transported to Germany by road, hidden in “caletas” or secret compartments, in both vehicles and trucks.
Operation Linked to Over a Ton of Cannabis Shipment to Germany
The organization, which operated from a restaurant in Puerto Banús, is linked to the shipment of over a ton of cannabis to Germany and the seizure of 382,000 euros in France. The operation resulted in the arrest of 14 people and 28 simultaneous searches in Spain (10) and Germany (18), where more than 180,000 euros in cash, 7 firearms, and 30 kilos of marijuana were seized, among other items.
Investigation Initiated Following Arrests in France
The investigation began in December 2022 following the arrest of three people (of Colombian and Albanian origin) in the French town of Dax. The arrested individuals, who are currently in provisional prison in France, had 382,000 euros in cash hidden in a vehicle.
Drug Trafficking Organization Based in Marbella
Investigations by French authorities revealed that the seized money was intended for the leaders of a criminal organization, allegedly dedicated to international drug trafficking, based in Marbella. Connections with Germany, the destination country of the drug transported by road from Spain, were also established. This led to the initiation of a joint investigation team between the three countries – Spain, France, and Germany.
Armed Escorts for Protection
The leaders of the network, two Germans of Iranian and Moroccan origin, ran a restaurant located in Puerto Banús, where they held meetings with other drug traffickers. They also had a permanent escort of armed Colombians whose mission was to provide them with security against the threat of other criminal organizations attacking them or trying to steal their merchandise.
Drug Seizures Lead to Intensified Surveillance
Following several police operations, several seizures of narcotic substances were made last summer, which, as evidenced by the investigation, had come from the province of Cádiz. Specifically, in June 2023, 140 kilos of hashish were seized, distributed in three confiscated shipments, sent from a company in Jerez de la Frontera to another company in Germany.
Drug Transported to Germany in Vehicles and Trucks
The modus operandi used by the organization to transport the drug to Germany was to hide the narcotic substance in “caletas”, in both vehicles and trucks. To avoid being discovered, the investigated individuals changed the location of the “nurseries” (places where they kept the drug) between Marbella, Sanlúcar de Barrameda (Cádiz), and Utrera (Seville).
Eight Arrests in Spain and Two in Germany
At the end of last April, the operation was carried out simultaneously in Spain and Germany. As a result, eight people were arrested in Spain, two of them in Marbella, five in Estepona, and one in the province of Seville, and two in Germany. This is in addition to the three arrested in France in December 2022 and a fourth person in Germany in October 2023.
More Than 180,000 Euros in Cash, 7 Firearms, and 30 Kilos of Marijuana Seized
Furthermore, 28 searches were carried out – 10 in Spain and 18 in Germany -, with national police officers moving to Wisbaden and German investigators to Malaga to participate in them. As a result, more than 180,000 euros in cash, 7 firearms, ammunition of various calibers, and 30 kilos of marijuana were seized, among other items.
