Gang using helicopters to smuggle drugs busted in Spain

2 days ago 8

Spanish constabulary connected Saturday said they had thwarted a transgression pack that flew helicopters to smuggle hashish into the state from Morocco, successful a uncommon cognition against aerial cause trafficking.

The helicopters were susceptible of transporting betwixt 500 and 900 kilograms of drugs, which were stored successful agrarian estates and warehouses successful confederate Spain earlier organisation by roadworthy to different European countries, the Civil Guard said successful a statement.

Police seized 1 of the helicopters, 1,448 pounds of hashish, 5 firearms, currency and vehicles during raids successful the provinces of Malaga, Almeria and Murcia.

"The late-night movements of respective individuals nether probe betwixt Málaga and Almería raised suspicions among Civil Guard investigators of a imaginable large-scale cause trafficking operation," the Civil Guard said. "Agents discovered that these movements stemmed from adjacent collaboration with others who were making predominant cause shipments from Morocco."

Six arrests were made successful the operation, which besides progressive Moroccan, Belgian and Swedish instrumentality enforcement.

"It is uncommon for helicopters to beryllium utilized to smuggle drugs but occasionally they (criminal gangs) bash try. Remember that helicopters are casual to observe and hard to bargain connected the achromatic market," a constabulary root told the Reuters quality agency.

Police released respective images of the operation, dubbed "Giro," connected social media.

#OperacionesGC | Detenidas 6 personas por introducir hachís desde Marruecos utilizando helicópteros.
👝Han sido intervenidos 657 kg de hachís y 5 armas de fuego, además de uno de los helicópteros usados para el narcotráfico.https://t.co/Id2Q6Qm5m7 pic.twitter.com/mZTKFTZ2wN

— Guardia Civil (@guardiacivil) December 13, 2025

The helicopters landed successful sparsely populated areas, wherever respective radical were waiting to unload the hashish and transport it successful vans to assorted retention facilities, constabulary said.

Spain's adjacent ties with Latin America and proximity to Morocco marque it a cardinal introduction constituent for drugs into Europe, but smuggling typically takes spot by sea.

Spanish constabulary person successful the past twelvemonth besides uncovered networks that utilized drones to transport drugs from Morocco.

Last month, Spanish constabulary said they broke up the section operations of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), which is designated a violent enactment by President Donald Trump, making 20 arrests.

In October, Spanish constabulary said they seized 6.5 tons of cocaine and arrested 9 radical aft a U.S. tip-off led them to raid a vessel disconnected the Canary Islands. The DEA provided cardinal "information" that enabled the cognition to succeed, constabulary said.