Spain: 1.5 tonnes of cocaine seized in Galicia, Croatian among those arrested
Spanish police have seized one and a half tonnes of cocaine in the Galician town of A Pobra do Caramiñal and arrested three people, including a Croatian national.
Seizure of 1.5 tonnes of cocaine in Galician port town
Spanish police have seized 1.5 tonnes of cocaine in the port town of A Pobra do Caramiñal on the Atlantic coast of Galicia and arrested three people. Among those detained was a Croatian national, according to Žurnal24, citing the Croatian news agency Hina, which is quoting the newspaper La Voz de Galicia.
Officers discovered the drugs in a building in close proximity to the sea. According to the authorities' assessment, it had been stored there only temporarily, ahead of further transport.
Investigators have attributed the arrested Croatian with the role of so-called "notary" — a person responsible for overseeing the smuggling operation and protecting the interests of one of the criminal groups involved.
The Galician coast is considered one of the most important entry points for cocaine from South America into Spain. In recent years, investigators have identified connections in the area between local criminal associations and individuals from former Yugoslav countries, including Montenegro, Serbia and Croatia. This time, investigators are checking whether one of these groups is involved in the case.
In May this year, Spanish police seized between 30 and 40 tonnes of cocaine on a ship in international waters near the Canary Islands — a record quantity for Spain — and arrested around 20 people.
Source: Žurnal24