A war arsenal and 2,600 kilos of cocaine intervened in the arrest of the historic Galician drug lord 'Matador'

MADRID, 7 Dic. (EUROPA PRESS) -

An operation by the National Police against a "narcoglobalized" criminal organization dedicated to large-scale drug trafficking has resulted in the intervention in Asturias of a war arsenal with assault rifles and rocket launchers. In addition, 2,600 kilos of cocaine have been seized and 19 people arrested, including the historic Galician drug trafficker known as 'Matador', the target of the Spanish and Colombian authorities for more than ten years.

Some 2,000 kilos of the drug was intercepted in international waters of the Caribbean when it was transported by boat from South America for distribution in Spanish territory and the rest -600 kilograms- was hidden in an industrial warehouse in Siero (Asturias).

This is an operation that has had the collaboration of the DIRAN of the Colombian National Police and the US agency HSI -Homeland Security Investigations-.

The investigators verified that the members of the organization had traveled to Madrid to meet with a well-known Galician drug trafficker, Manuel G.M. alias 'Matador', whom the Police place as responsible for the distribution of drugs in our country. After this meeting, the investigated plan to send two tons of cocaine by the end of July 2022.

After frustrating the shipment of the drug by sea, the investigators focused on the industrial warehouse in Siero (Asturias) where another 600 kilograms of cocaine were hidden. 'Matador' had traveled to this place in the company of his partner, with the aim of avoiding police attention by simulating a family trip. The Galician drug trafficker was already arrested in 2010 for his relationship with Colombian clans.

Along with them, another Mexican individual also traveled as notary of the organization who, on the one hand, was in charge of attesting that everything was carried out as agreed and, on the other, carried out advance work with the vehicle warning of the possible police presence during the road.

These three people were arrested along with the rest of the members of the network, in charge of the logistics for the introduction of cocaine into Spain.

Likewise, an arsenal of war weapons was also located in the industrial warehouse, consisting of assault rifles, hand grenades, explosives, rocket launchers, silencers, short arms and ammunition of many calibers, among other objects. Another batch of weapons was seized at the Galician home of the Spanish drug trafficker.

The weapons were sent to the Scientific Police laboratories for expert analysis, while the rocket launcher, the plastic explosive, the grenade and the detonator were analyzed by TEDAX-NRBQ specialists.

After an initial inspection of the rocket launcher, the agents considered that, due to its instability, it was necessary to proceed with its disablement and controlled destruction, moving the rocket launcher to a safe bunker where its controlled explosion was carried out.