Guardia Civil dismantles secret fuel depot supplying drug smugglers in Alhaurin el Grande

Guardia Civil officers carried out a targeted operation on Friday, June 5, that led to the arrest of two men and the seizure of thousands of litres of fuel intended for drug smuggling boats. Officers focused the raid on a property in Alhaurin el Grande that functioned as a storage site for a criminal network supplying narcolanchas, high-speed motorboats for transporting drugs across the Atlantic operating off the Andalucian coast. Investigators believe the site formed part of the logistical chain that keeps fast smuggling vessels running during illicit crossings.

Gossip had been rife around the town for several days after occasions when Guardia Civil cars were seen careering around the town clearly in search for someone important. Rumours of a secret stash of explosives, or something equally dangerous, filled the terraces, while Anthony Bermudez, mayor of Alhaurin, recorded a video on Friday, June 6, to set residents’ minds at rest. The Guardia Civil had clearly told the mayor they were looking for someone illegally breeding animals, as that was what he passed on to the public. But the public had guessed it had been something more serious than that.

Raid targets inland property

Agents from several Guardia Civil units descended on the dwelling after intelligence indicated its use as a fuel depot for maritime drug operations. The property’s location inland away from the coast allowed the group to stockpile supplies without immediate suspicion or detection from maritime patrols. Entry and search followed judicial authorisation, leading to the immediate detention of the two occupants.

Materials recovered by investigators

Investigators recovered €10,570 in cash and a notebook containing numerous annotations. Those records hold value in tracing wider connections within the criminal organisation according to Guardia Civil sources. Officers also found 229 full jerry cans each holding 25 litres of fuel and 483 empty containers prepared for refilling. The practice known as ‘petaqueo’ in police circles involves transferring fuel from land stores to narcolanchas at sea so the vessels can complete high-speed runs without refuelling at regular ports.

Charges filed against detainees

Police have charged two detainees with criminal group membership and offences against collective security. The second charge relates to the serious hazards created by storing thousands of litres of highly flammable liquid in an ordinary home without proper safety precautions. Such storage increases the chance of a fire or explosion that could affect neighbouring properties and residents. Multiple units took part in the coordinated action, including personnel from the main post in Alhaurin el Grande, the judicial police unit based in Algeciras, the post in Guadiaro, the fiscal company in Malaga and additional teams from the Algeciras and Malaga commands.