MADRID: Spain’s Civil Guard police force said on Sunday it had busted an alleged drug-smuggling gang on the Canary Island of Tenerife that was dedicated to introducing large quantities of hashish from Morocco aboard fishing vessels.
A total of 1,753 kilograms (1.9 short tons) drugs were seized and nine people aged 18-35 years old of Spanish and Moroccan nationalities were arrested and placed under official investigation for alleged drug trafficking and belonging to a criminal organization, a Civil Guard statement said. The investigation began when alleged gang members were seen introducing large quantities of hashish through the south of Tenerife using fishing boats.
The boats would allegedly make contact with a mother ship from Morocco and transship the drugs while out at high sea.
The smugglers would thus try to go unnoticed since it is normal for fishing boats to head out to sea and follow courses that would be unusual for other types of vessel.
After monitoring the gang, agents detected that a meeting between a fishing vessel named “Askada I,” based in Tazacorte (La Palma) was due to take place with a pneumatic boat 30 miles south of the port of Los Cristianos.
The agents established a special surveillance device in an area near the coast to intercept them when they were about to unload the merchandise. In this way, the gang leader and his right-hand man were located close to Los Abrigos as they were giving orders from the shore for a drug unloading and arrested.
Investigators then sought the assistance of the Provincial Maritime Service of Tenerife to carry out a boarding and found seven people, three fishermen, a gang member and three crew from the second, inflatable vessel.
After obtaining a court order to search the vessels, investigators found 53 bales of hashish, with a total weight of 1,753 kilos as well as the home addressed of the suspects detained.
More than 13,000 euros ($13,810) in cash, mobile phones, four marine GPS units and a satellite phone were also seized.
