WATCH: Major anti-drug operation in Galicia snares 220 kilos of cocaine and more than €4 million in assets

The Guardia Civil seized 220 kilograms of cocaine and froze more than €4 million of assets in a major anti-drug operation in Galicia.

As reported by the Guardia Civil in a statement this Friday, April 28, within the framework of the anti-drug ‘Operation Carplaya’, the force smashed an active criminal organisation centred in Galicia.

It allegedly specialised in the transportation of cocaine between different parts of the national territory and Portugal. The gang’s members used vehicles equipped with sophisticated concealment systems to carry out this in a discreet manner.

The investigation was launched in April 2022, after learning of the possible existence – thanks to the international collaboration of the Guardia Civil on drug trafficking – of a robust criminal network based mainly in the Autonomous Community of Galicia.

During the course of the operation, as the different objectives were being defined, officers were able to corroborate how some of those investigated transported indeterminate amounts of drugs hidden in vehicles.

This was carried out without the support of other security vehicles to avoid police checks or any other incidents as is normally the case in this modus operandi.

As a result, the police investigators worked on the possible existence of sophisticated concealment systems inside these vehicles.

#OperacionesGC
Intervenidos 220 kilogramos de #cocaína e inmovilizados más de 4 millones de euros en una importante operación antidroga llevada a cabo en Galicia.
La investigación ha sido llevada a cabo por el Equipo contra el Crimen Organizado #Galicia #UCO en colaboración con… pic.twitter.com/95HLeri7Ve

— Guardia Civil (@guardiacivil) April 28, 2023

Following this line of investigation, they discovered a clandestine workshop located in the Pontevedra city of Vigo. Its manager subsequently turned out to be a fundamental actor in the logistics used by the now-dismantled organisation.

The investigated criminal group was strongly cohesive since a large part of its membership was united by family and criminal ties.

They were known to have previous experience in this type of criminal activity, as well as in the use of encrypted messaging technology in their communications, inhibition systems, and state-of-the-art radio frequency detectors.

Researchers verified the high standard of living of many of the gang’s members, despite their having no known legal economic income or property, but with different societies in a serious state of declared deficit.

Those investigated frequently acquired high-end vehicles, all kinds of furniture for homes in the names of spouses or relatives, as well as exclusive trips.

This led to an exhaustive economic and patrimonial analysis of the main members of this organisation and of their companies, allowing all of them to eventually be charged with other crimes such as money laundering.

Last Wednesday 26, the exploitation phase of the investigation was carried out. Police officers proceeded to arrest 10 people.

They were charged with the crimes of belonging to a criminal organisation, against public health and money laundering, along well 15 previous charges that were outstanding from the provinces of Pontevedra and Lugo.

Overall, ‘Operation Carplaya’ resulted in the seizure of 220 kilograms of cocaine, 2.5 kg of hashish, €640,000 in bills of various denominations, eight vehicles, frequency jammers, radio frequency detection systems, documentation related to their illegal investigations and terminals with encrypted communication systems.

More than €4 million have also been frozen between commercial companies, real estate, boats, and blocked bank accounts.

Most of the seized narcotic substance was found hidden in a very sophisticated underground chamber in one of the properties registered in Pontevedra.

The investigation was been carried out by the Organised Crime Team based in Galicia of the Central Operative Unit of the Guardia Civil, with the collaboration of Europol in the development of the investigations.