Expats arrested over drug racket

Nine suspects arrested in six different Costa towns

A MASSIVE drug racket on the Costa Blanca became a victim of its own 'success' when its attempt to go global led to discovery.

Eight men and two women of eight different nationalities have been arrested in Dénia, Altea, Alfaz del Pi, Villajoyosa, La Nucía and Benidorm this week after a province-wide swoop sparked by one of the gang being caught with a haul of hash in his trailer.

A routine Guardia Civil check on a lorry heading to Norway from Alfaz, driven by a 28-year-old Spaniard – with a Dutch mother – who lives in La Nucía uncovered a suitcase containing 2.5 kilos of cannabis.

Subsequent inquiries showed the man, who is multi- lingual, had a very wide circle of international contacts on the Costa, giving him a vast expat customer base for his drugs.

He was running a pyramid scheme, with buyers earning commission for selling cocaine and marijuana, increasing the number of points of sale.

At least 13 people – originally from The Netherlands, Italy, Belgium, Norway, Serbia, Morocco, Russia and Spain, and aged between 22 and 56 – were involved, including the lorry driver's mother.

He had a supplier in Dénia, a 47-year-old Dutch national, and in Villajoyosa, a Belgian aged 26, who grew cannabis in pots hidden among other plants in their greenhouses.

The arrested driver recently travelled to Morocco with a friend, aged 22, from the North African country to open another supply chain and transport it to Spain.

It is believed they intended to swallow packages or engage 'agents' to do so.

Guardia Civil officers intercepted one of these deliveries and linked it to the suitcase heading for Norway.

House raids in Dénia and five Marina Baixa towns were carried out simultaneously and unannounced to prevent gang members tipping each other off.

Three men were investigated but not charged, whilst the other eight men and two women were arrested.

They have been released with charges pending trial.