A 'mega cartel' that used Spanish ports to introduce a third of the cocaine into Europe falls in Dubai

MADRID, 28 Nov. (EUROPA PRESS) -

The Civil Guard has participated in an international operation that has managed to dismantle a 'mega cartel' in Dubai that used Spanish ports to introduce a third of the cocaine circulating in Europe. Fifty people have been arrested in several countries, highlighting in the Spanish case two arrested in the city-emirate and a third in Malaga.

From Dubai, the leaders of this mega cartel, known to the police as "drug lords", controlled and directed the criminal activities of the different cells, under the conviction of being in a sanctuary where they felt untouchable and which in turn allowed to maintain a high standard of living. They have seized more than 30 tons of cocaine that tried to flood Europe with this drug.

In total, 49 people have been arrested in Spain, France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Dubai, of which seven are considered High-Value Targets (HVT), according to the EUROPOL agency, with agencies also participating. police forces from the USA (DEA), the United Kingdom (NCA) and Bulgaria.

With regard to the part that affects Spain, the Central Anti-drug Group of the Central Operating Unit (UCO) has acted within the framework of 'Operation Faukas' in Malaga, Madrid and Barcelona simultaneously on the 8th of this month.

In Spain, 15 people have been arrested, including three priority objectives for EUROPOL, two of them in Dubai and another in Malaga, all in the more than 21 searches at homes and companies related to this criminal organization.

The operation began in March 2020 with the seizure of a container in the Port of Valencia with which they intended to introduce 698 kilos of cocaine, with no arrest or responsibility being made at that time, although those responsible were located in Panama.

The investigation confirmed the operation of a criminal organization that was introducing containers with cocaine inside through the Ports of Barcelona, ​​Valencia and Algeciras, and that in turn had formed a complex corporate network of real estate investments in the coastal area. del Sol in order to launder the profits obtained from drug trafficking.

It has been possible to identify the leader of this organization, a British citizen linked to the Costa del Sol and who had to leave Spain due to an attempted kidnapping against him, moving to Dubai, a place from where he continued directing and coordinating the criminal activities of the organization, while maintaining contacts and drug dealing businesses with the rest of the "drug lords" based in this city-emirate.

In the same way, the Civil Guard managed to identify the source supplier of the drug, turning out to be a Panamanian citizen also living in Dubai, who would be responsible for the introduction of the drug in the Port of Manzanillo (Panama) and who also maintained contacts with the rest of the barons in the emirate.

This criminal organization based in Spain had two perfectly differentiated structures, one in charge of extracting drugs from commercial seaports and another responsible for money laundering through Real Estate companies.

The first one would be located between the provinces of Barcelona and Malaga, having a direct influence on the Port of Barcelona and being made up of two citizens of Bulgarian origin, one of them considered as HVT for EUROPOL and three of Spanish origin, One of them being a worker at the port of Barcelona, ​​responsible for the entry and exit of vehicles.

The other part would be made up of people highly trusted by the leader of the criminal organization, located on the Costa del Sol, the nerve center of their financial activities, from where they would have acquired movable and immovable property and shares worth about 24 million euros. , integrating them in this way, in the legal economic circuit.

In the records appeared elements that link those investigated to criminal activity, as well as more than 500,000 euros in cash, three short weapons with ammunition chargers and luxury items including high-end vehicles, some of them with prices close to at 300,000 euros.