Eleven arrested and C90 rocket launcher seized in drugs operation in Talavera de la Reina
The National Police dismantled a cannabis cultivation and drugs trafficking network in Talavera de la Reina with 11 arrests and 8 indoor plantations dismantled.
Operation 'Águila' dismantles drug cultivation network in Talavera with war arsenal
The National Police dismantled on 15 June an organisation allegedly dedicated to the cultivation and trafficking of drugs in the Patrocinio de San José district of Talavera de la Reina. The operation, named 'Águila', resulted in eleven arrests, the dismantling of eight indoor cannabis plantations and the seizure of a C90 anti-tank rocket launcher already detonated, classified as a war weapon, according to ABC.
During eleven house searches carried out simultaneously at properties concentrated within a radius of approximately 500 metres, officers seized 1,952 cannabis plants, 40 kilograms of buds, 1,273 kilograms of hashish distributed in tablets and small pieces, 33.8 grams of cocaine, 33.5 grams of MDMA and 4,845 euros in cash.
Investigation launched in March
The operation began in March, when officers specialised in the fight against drug trafficking detected signs of an illegal cannabis cultivation network in the district. Initial investigations confirmed that the plantations were distributed among properties situated within that narrow 500-metre perimeter.
As the investigation progressed, officers identified at least eleven properties linked to the criminal activity. Eight of them housed indoor cannabis plantations, while the rest were used as storage points or drug 'nurseries'.
Organised structure with permanent surveillance
According to the National Police, the network operated with a perfectly organised structure. Those in charge of the plantations had the support of people linked to them by family and personal ties, who carried out 24-hour surveillance duties to detect any police movement and alert the network.
The organisation had also installed illegal connections to the electricity grid to cover the high energy consumption of the plantations without paying for the supply. According to investigators, these illegal connections posed a serious fire risk for neighbouring properties due to electrical installation overload. During the operation, officers located and removed all those fraudulent connections.
50-officer deployment and CITCO participation
The operation on 15 June involved 50 officers from different specialist units. The Counter-Terrorism and Organised Crime Intelligence Centre (CITCO) and the Local Police also participated. The searches were executed simultaneously to prevent those involved from destroying evidence or alerting one another.
Arsenal and criminal records among those arrested
In addition to narcotic substances and money, officers found a significant arsenal: bladed weapons, four taser devices, several detonating firearms and the C90 anti-tank rocket launcher, whose discovery constitutes one of the most striking elements of the operation.
Of the eleven arrested, eight had police records. One of them had two judicial search, arrest and imprisonment orders in effect relating to drug trafficking offences; after being brought before a judge, an immediate prison sentence was ordered.
Investigators believe that the illicit activity was the main means of livelihood and source of income for those arrested.
Stolen objects among the material seized
During the searches, numerous objects of allegedly illicit origin were also recovered, mainly work tools. Some of that material has already been returned to its rightful owners after being verified as having come from thefts involving breaking into vehicles; the remainder continues to be analysed to determine its origin.
Operation 'Águila' remains open. The National Police do not rule out further arrests as investigations continue to clarify the origin of the remaining objects seized and determine whether there are other people involved in the organisation.
Source: ABC