A recent Spanish security report has highlighted the alarming risks posed by international drug trafficking networks, specifically focusing on the sophisticated technologies employed to smuggle cannabis from Morocco into Europe. These networks have developed intricate methods to evade the scrutiny and actions of Spanish security forces working diligently to dismantle the operations of these criminal organizations.
According to the report compiled by the Spanish police's drug and organized crime unit, which has been disseminated by local media sources, a secret tunnel discovered at the end of March was engineered with advanced technical and logistical capabilities, enabling the organized transportation, storage, and processing of drug shipments. The underground facility, located within warehouses in the "Tarajal" area, features multiple levels beneath the surface, complete with electrical installations, water drainage pumps, and elevators specifically designed to move goods between various floors.
The report elaborates that the investigative teams uncovered a soundproof room suspected to be used for packaging drugs through vacuum sealing technology, in addition to a refrigerated storage space, a secret laboratory, and a surveillance camera to monitor activities within the facility. Investigations are ongoing to identify all potential individuals involved in this network by analyzing biological traces and technical evidence seized from the site. It is believed that the criminal organization relied on specialized experts in tunnel construction and underground infrastructure to create this complex structure, which has been described as one of the most advanced secret facilities involved in drug trafficking cases in Spain.
The tunnel extends to a depth of 19 meters and connects to a horizontal passage leading to the Moroccan side, with only about 25 meters separating the warehouses from the border area.
Since the beginning of 2023, Spanish authorities have dismantled at least 11 Moroccan criminal networks. This month, plans for a third tunnel in the Beroukal area, close to the border fence, have come to light. Members of the criminal network associated with these tunnels have reportedly attempted to persuade a marble workshop tenant, previously used as a facade to conceal one of the tunnels, to surrender to authorities and provide a pre-prepared testimony, as revealed by ongoing investigations.
Moreover, investigations have uncovered attempts to shift responsibility onto an individual who had previously cooperated with authorities and contributed to exposing the first smuggling tunnel, with the intention of presenting him as a scapegoat for the repercussions of smuggling tons of cannabis into the city of Ceuta. There was also a plan to use the identity of a deceased person to divert suspicion away from the main individual responsible for the marble warehouse, where the first smuggling tunnel was discovered.
The advanced technological arsenal utilized by international drug trafficking networks has garnered considerable attention from various European media outlets, particularly regarding the use of drones and remotely operated submarines that facilitate the rapid transport of substantial quantities of drugs. This marks a concerning shift in the trade of these substances, which the "Kingdom of Cannabis" relies on to finance its economy.
Since the beginning of the year, Spanish security forces have dealt severe blows to international drug trafficking networks, dismantling at least 11 Moroccan criminal organizations and seizing dozens of tons of drugs.
As reported by aps.dz.
