Officers injured in drug shootout
FOUR Guardia Civil officers were injured in a shootout during an operation against drug trafficking.
A force spokesman noted that a resident had opened fire when armed officers arrived to search a property in a rural area outside Alicante city.
The force’s investigation into a drug gang operating in Alicante province had begun at the start of this year.
Last week they had discovered that one of the key suspects was sending a suspicious package to Ireland.
A judge gave permission for the Guardia Civil to open the parcel which contained 3.5 kilos of marijuana divided into 27 small bags.
Following the discovery, it was decided to carry out raids on four properties linked to the drug network – in Torrellano, San Vicente del Raspeig and two in Partida de El Moralet.
Armed officers moved in at
06.50 on Tuesday.
One of the main targets and his father lived at one of the rural homes in El Moralet.
After identifying themselves as Guardia Civil and receiving no response, the officers decided to force an entry.
This was when the father allegedly opened fire on the advancing officers ‘apparently with a hunting shotgun’.
He allegedly fired ‘numerous times’, injuring four Guardia Civil. Colleagues were able to arrest the two men, along with four other suspects in the other properties.
The spokesman explained that one of officers had been hit directly in the arm, and the three others had been struck by ricochets from the shots, ‘suffering injuries to different parts of their bodies’.
He said they received hospital treatment but none of them is in a serious condition.
During the searches they seized cocaine and marijuana.
The spokesman said the operation remains ongoing.