Guardia Civil arrest two men who offered to supply guns to Mexico

AS PART of an on-going investigation, agents of the Money Laundering Group of the Central Operational Unit (UCO) of the Guardia Civil, in cooperation with the US Drug Enforcement Administration of America (DEA) detained two men who were offering to sell firearms and other munitions to drug cartels in Mexico.

They indicated that they were able to supply anti-tank rocket launchers, grenade launchers and sniper rifles for use in protecting shipments of drugs from Mexico to the USA.

At the time of arrest, several catalogues showing a range of firearms and details of orders received were discovered when the joint operation arrested a 44-year-old Swiss and 40-year-old Iranian in Barcelona under an international arrest warrant.

The original investigation was based on the use of proceeds from drug trafficking for money laundering but expanded when it was realised that these men were also involved in the sale of arms. After observing the men holding meetings in a hotel in Barcelona with parties assumed to be interested in purchasing weapons, the combined force decided to arrest the two men.

The arrest itself took place in late November but information has only just been released by the Guardia Civil.