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Date Published: 06/12/2022

ARCHIVED - 30 arrested across southern Spain for disguising drugs as Ukraine aid

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Police raids were carried out in the Andalucian provinces of Malaga, Granada, Cordoba and Seville

<span style='color:#780948'>ARCHIVED</span> - 30 arrested across southern Spain for disguising drugs as Ukraine aid

The Guardia Civil have arrested 30 people accused of trafficking cannabis disguised as humanitarian aid destined for Ukraine in a series of raids in Andalucia.

The detainees – Ukrainians, Spaniards, Germans and Moroccans – allegedly camouflaged the drugs in cardboard boxes that were transported through several countries in vans that travelled as "part of a solidarity aid convoy so they could pass under the radar of police and border controls".

In a statement, the Guardia Civil said police became suspicious after identifying a group of Ukrainians collecting cannabis from across Andalucia and storing it in a flat in Mijas, Malaga province.

During the investigation, police stopped two Ukrainian-registered vans in Fuengirola, Malaga carrying 109 kilos of marijuana vacuum-packed and camouflaged in cardboard boxes. The four occupants were arrested.

Also read: Marbella Mayor accused of hiding assets of 12 million euros

A series of raids followed in Malaga province and in the southern cities of Granada, Cordoba and Seville, during which nearly 800,000 euros, six guns, GPS tracking devices and 2,500 cannabis plants were confiscated. A further 26 arrests were made for drug trafficking, membership of a criminal organisation, illegal possession of weapons and electricity fraud, among other offences.

During the busts, two of the suspects tried to flee, ramming a police vehicle and injuring two officers. They were finally arrested and additionally charged with an offence against road safety and attacking police officers.

The major heist comes a month after Spanish police announced the largest seizure of cannabis ever found in the country. More than 32 tons of the drug, with an estimated street value of 65 million euros, was discovered following raids across Spain.

Just last week, a Ukraine Embassy worker in Madrid was injured after opening an envelope addressed to the Ambassador that contained a small homemade explosive.

Image: Guardia Civil

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