A recent security report from Spain has underscored the alarming threats posed by international drug trafficking networks and the advanced technologies employed to smuggle cannabis from Morocco into Europe. This illicit endeavor is designed to evade the relentless efforts of Spanish security agencies, which are actively working to dismantle the operations of these criminal organizations.
According to the report compiled by the Spanish police's Anti-Drug and Organized Crime Unit and disseminated by local media, a secret tunnel discovered at the end of March was "engineered with sophisticated technical and logistical equipment that facilitates the organized transportation, storage, and processing of drug shipments." This underground facility, located within warehouses in the "Tarajal" area, consists of multiple subterranean levels and is equipped with electrical systems, water pumps for drainage, and elevators specifically designed for transporting goods between the various floors.
The report further details that search teams uncovered a "soundproof room suspected to be used for packaging drugs utilizing vacuum sealing technology, in addition to a refrigerated storage space, a secret laboratory, and surveillance cameras to monitor activities within the facility." Investigations are ongoing to identify all potential individuals involved in this network, with efforts centering on analyzing biological traces and technical evidence confiscated from the site. It is believed that the criminal network enlisted experts in tunneling and underground construction to create this intricate structure, which has been described as one of the "most advanced secret facilities in drug trafficking cases in Spain." The tunnel extends to a depth of 19 meters and connects to a horizontal passage leading into Morocco, with only a 25-meter gap separating the warehouses from the border area.
Since the beginning of 2026, at least 11 Moroccan criminal networks have been dismantled in Spain, highlighting the persistent threat. As of this month, plans for a third tunnel in the Berrocal area, near the border fence, have come to light. Investigations revealed that members of the criminal network linked to these tunnels are attempting to persuade a marble workshop tenant, previously used as a façade to conceal one of the tunnels, to surrender to authorities and provide a pre-prepared statement. Additionally, attempts have been made to shift blame onto an individual who once collaborated with authorities and helped expose the first smuggling tunnel, with the intention of presenting him as a scapegoat for the introduction of tons of cannabis into Ceuta. There are even reports of plans to use the identity of a deceased person to distract attention from the main culprit behind the marble warehouse where the first smuggling tunnel was discovered.
The advanced technological arsenal utilized by international drug trafficking networks has garnered significant interest from various European media outlets, particularly regarding the use of drones and remotely operated submarines that allow for the swift transport of large quantities of drugs, marking a "dangerous shift" in the trade of these narcotics that the "Kingdom of Cannabis" relies on to fund its economy. Spanish security forces have dealt severe blows to these drug trafficking networks since the start of the year, dismantling at least 11 Moroccan criminal organizations and seizing tons of illicit drugs.
As reported by aps.dz.
