Moroccan security forces have successfully apprehended an individual at the Bab Sebta crossing, the border point that separates Morocco from Ceuta. This man is listed as one of the key suspects in the narcotunnel network, marking the second wave of operations conducted by the UDYCO, which led to the discovery of this underground passage used for smuggling hashish.
News outlets such as ar.telquel.ma have reported that this intervention is not merely incidental but rather a direct response from Morocco to an investigation rooted in Spain, for which Moroccan cooperation has been solicited through formal requests. The ongoing inquiry has seen multiple individuals placed on wanted lists as part of the so-called Operation Ares, overseen by the Audiencia Nacional.
Operation Ares culminated in the discovery of a narcotunnel that connects a warehouse in Tarajal with Morocco, specifically to a structure located behind the Arroyo de las Bombas. According to preliminary reports, the detained individual, a Moroccan national residing in Ceuta, was captured at the border crossing a few days ago. He was on the radar of law enforcement as he was wanted in connection with this narcotunnel network.
The suspect is believed to have significant ties to this second narcotunnel operation. As detailed in the report submitted to the court by UDYCO, this individual was the registered owner of a vehicle that agents had been tracking, suspecting it to be a shuttle vehicle, which is typically used to pave the way for others carrying illicit drugs.
The UDYCO investigation links Ceuta with several locations across the southern part of the Iberian Peninsula and Galicia, as well as Morocco, highlighting the existence of an extensive drug trafficking network. This network reportedly involves contacts facilitating the transportation of hashish from Morocco by both sea and land routes to regions such as Galicia, southern Spain, and even as far as France and Brazil.
Various methods were employed to smuggle large quantities of drugs, including fishing boats, narco-speedboats, and trucks equipped with hidden compartments. All these operations were interconnected within this criminal structure that the UDYCO managed to dismantle.
Over the course of a year, through the use of tracking systems, wiretaps, and listening devices, the primary members of this criminal organization were identified. According to UDYCO, these individuals had transformed this illegal activity into their main source of income.
The entry point for the hashish was through a sophisticated underground tunnel, a narcotunnel discovered by the National Police, who managed to reach the end of the structure before proceeding to seal it off.
The Moroccan authorities have been notified to carry out the necessary investigations on their side to uncover all relevant details concerning this case, especially regarding the origins of the drugs being introduced into Spanish territory. In Ceuta, apart from high-profile arrests previously made, progress continues on the case, with at least two individuals having been arrested and later released from police custody.
In addition to the narcotunnel investigation led by the National Police, there is a prior investigation conducted by the Civil Guard that is also being followed by the Audiencia Nacional. Both investigations were initiated a year apart, sharing common elements, including the 'narco-architect' responsible for constructing these tunnels and the owner of the galleries. Concurrently, several ancillary investigations have been opened, some of which remain confidential.
As reported by elfarodeceuta.es.
