The Civil Guard seizes 2.5 tons of cocaine and 30 of hashish in an international operation

The Civil Guard seizes four tons of hashish 130 miles off the coast of Huelva CIVIL GUARD / Europa Press

The Civil Guard has seized almost 2,500 kilos of cocaine and more than 30,500 of hashish in just six weeks. It has done so in the ports of Algeciras (Cádiz, 121,957 inhabitants), Barcelona and Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, as well as on a merchant ship in Senegal waters, between May 15 and June 30. It is the period in which the seventh edition of Operation

in which the armed institute participates in coordination with the Intelligence Center against Terrorism and Organized Crime (CITCO), the collaboration of 88 agencies, police forces and military personnel from 38 countries under the leadership of the Colombian National Navy.

Orion

is the largest international operation against drug trafficking.

Its main target is the global cocaine trade, but other narcotic substances such as marijuana and hashish are also tracked.

It was launched from Colombia and is focused on drug routes to Europe and its destination countries, including Spain.

The Colombian authorities requested the participation of the Civil Guard in the operation and, although it takes place throughout the year, it intensifies for a few days.

Both forces maintain a constant dialogue, but annually, for 90 days and in two periods of 45, the collaboration increases the pressure on the mafias and is carried out multilaterally and in coordination with the rest of the actors of the initiative.

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This is the fourth consecutive occasion in which the Civil Guard has participated and the one that, according to sources in the investigation, has obtained the record of seizures.

Between May 15 and June 30, the operation carried out by the Civil Guard in Spain allowed the intervention of 2,471 kilos of cocaine and 30,515 of hashish (in the sixth edition, carried out at the end of 2020, the result was just over 11 tons cocaine).

Most of the illegal merchandise was inside containers that had arrived at the ports of Barcelona, ​​Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and Algeciras.

Those responsible for the investigation emphasize that the Cadiz port area is the largest gateway for drugs in all of Europe and where the most seizures are made, mainly inside containers arrived in large cargo ships. “It is the most common formula used, although more and more vessels of a non-commercial nature are also being used,” the same sources emphasize. In fact, part of the narcotic substance was also located on a sailboat offshore off Senegal, an approach in which maritime service agents participated with the support of aircraft from the air.

Figures from the recent operation also include the arrest of 43 people who were part of drug trafficking networks and 16.5 million euros in cash have been immobilized. "The data show that the organizations have overcome the restrictions and the paralysis due to the health crisis, but it may also mean that they need to continue operating to obtain economic benefits and are now taking more risks," underline from the Civil Guard, whose agents participate in Orión deployed by ports, airports and territorial waters aided by the information provided by the Colombian National Navy and that obtained by the intelligence units of the Spanish body. There are also liaison officers deployed on Colombian soil to expedite the exchange of information.

Overall, the seventh edition of Orion has counted on the performance of 88 agencies and police and military forces from 38 countries, with a total result of 116 tons of cocaine, 95 tons of marijuana and 36 tons of hashish seized. It is estimated that the economic loss caused to international drug trafficking networks reaches 7,564 million dollars (about 6,432 million euros). In addition, 539 people have been arrested, 72 boats have been seized and up to 780 drug and narcotics production laboratories have been dismantled.