Date Published: 07/12/2021
ARCHIVED - Marbella luxury villa used as base for European drug trafficking
The criminal gang sent narcotics from Andalucía to Europe through parcel services
Police in Spain have dismantled a major drug trafficking ring operating out of a luxury villa between Marbella and Puerto Banus, in the exclusive Nagüelles area. The house was used as a base for an Eastern European gang who sent marijuana through parcel delivery services to Germany for distribution throughout the rest of Europe.
The narcotics seized by the authorities in Marbella and several other smaller plantations in Sevilla and Cordoba would have had a street value of 2.5 million euros.
The first breakthrough was made by a team in Fuengirola who set up surveillance on a Mijas shipping company. They discovered that the traffickers had sent kilos of drugs in cabinets with false bottoms to Germany, under the guise of being a Malaga antiques firm.
By following those involved, the agents were led to a well-known area of luxury villas in Marbella, and were immediately suspicious when they noticed that the windows had been blacked out and the air conditioning was running night and day, despite the house appearing to be uninhabited.
An electrical company was called in to do an inspection and found, predictably, that the house was not correctly connected to the grid but was siphoning electricity from nearby to grow the marijuana.
In addition to the huge amount of drugs seized, 60,000 euros in cash and four mid-range vehicles were confiscated.
Those arrested have been remanded in custody with bail, as the judge considered the criminals to be a considerable flight risk. They will be charged with crimes of drug trafficking, belonging to a criminal organisation and document falsification.
Image: Guardia Civil
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