Police smash drug transport ring

Moroccan hashish was transported from Alicante to France concealed in hidden compartments in furniture

NATIONAL Police officers have arrested 18 people, dismantling of a criminal organization that exported hashish from Alicante to France.

Those arrested had set up bogus companies that had simulated international commercial dealings with other European companies; they also had various warehouses they used to prepare the drugs for their transport by concealing them inside hidden compartments built especially for this purpose inside items of furniture.

Police seized a total of 4,073 kilos of hashish after searching ten properties in Alicante, Granada

and Zaragoza.

The National Police started investigating after French police found 1,240 kgs of hashish in a Spanish registered truck and arrested the driver.

The truck was listed as belonging to Zaragoza transport companies, National Police upon investigating discovered these companies only existed on paper created solely to give the appearance of legality to an alleged international trade using large tonnage vehicles.

Meanwhile in Alicante, officers identified the warehouse on an industrial estate, from where the truck collected its drug cargo, and placed it under surveillance for various days, allowing them to discover the identity of the persons involved in transporting the hashish.

They also identified a van used to transport the hashish to the warehouse. This van was also put under surveillance, and police were able to find other locations in Malaga and Atarfe (Granada) used to hide the hashish.

Concealed in fake furniture

During the police surveillance operation, an articulated lorry arrived at the warehouse and was loaded up with furniture before starting its journey towards the north of Spain and France.

Police were waiting for it on the outskirts of Alicante, and pulled it up and examined its cargo, discovering 1,007kg of hashish inside fake sets of drawers. The truck, also belonging to the bogus Zaragoza companies, was seized and the driver arrested.

A search of the warehouse revealed a further 612kg of hashish, while the transport van the police had been following, contained another 1,224kg of the drug.

Another industrial building used by the organization to prepare the hidden compartments, was located in San Vicente del Raspeig.

18 people were arrested, 8 of them in Alicante, 5 in Zaragoza, 4 in Granada and one in France. 14 of them are in prison awaiting trial.

A total of 32 vehicles were seized including two trailer tractors and seven trailers.