The Provisional Detention without Bail of eight of the ten individuals arrested in Almería and Alicante as part of a drug trafficking operation was imposed by the Civil and Preliminary Investigation Section of the Court of First Instance No. 1 of Purchena (Almería) on Friday, March 27th.
Ten additional arrests were made during the initial phase of the operation in February of last year. The detainees are currently under investigation for narcotic trafficking, money laundering, and membership in a criminal organization, as per the High Court of Justice of Andalusia (TSJA). Some of them exercised their right to remain silent in front of the investigating magistrate. Eight searches were conducted at various locations during the police operation: three in the Purchena judicial district, three in Almería, and two in Tabernas. Two of the arrests took place in the province of Alicante. In the second phase of Operation “Marble,” which was initiated in February and involves the Guardia Civil, National Police, and Customs Surveillance, checkpoints have been established at the entrances to the affected municipalities to monitor the traffic of vehicles and trucks. The same court ordered the imprisonment of seven individuals who were apprehended in the municipality of Macael and are associated with the ‘Los Migueletes’ clan on February 20. A total of ten searches were conducted on private residences during that phase.
A clandestine Laboratory
The initial operation was conducted on February 18th, during which agents dismantled the alleged criminal organisation that was dedicated to drug trafficking. They also dismantled a clandestine laboratory that was used to press, dry, and package cocaine, which was subsequently distributed to various locations in the province and across the country. The operation led to the arrest of ten people connected to the clan, seven of whom—including the alleged ringleader—were remanded in custody by order of the Court of First Instance in Purchena (Almería). The Customs Surveillance Service was also involved in the operation, which identified a “perfectly structured” network that operated with a “clear division of roles” for the handling and distribution of drugs. In addition to lesser quantities of other synthetic drugs, 92.5 kilos of cocaine, 14.24 kilos of hashish, and 13.67 kilos of marijuana were discovered at the time of the police intervention. Officers obtained a court order for an urgent search of the property following the discovery of the laboratory, during which they seized 34 kilograms of cocaine. This discovery prompted additional house investigations, which resulted in the discovery of firearms and substantial sums of money at approximately ten properties associated with the suspects.
The illicit activity under investigation generated a substantial financial volume, as evidenced by the seizure of seven firearms—four handguns and three rifles—as well as a substantial amount of ammunition and €634,924 in cash—by the joint team consisting of the National Police, the Guardia Civil, and the Customs Surveillance Service. The three participating agencies were required to conduct meticulous surveillance, asset analysis, and operational coordination due to the complexity of the investigation, which was characterised by the security measures adopted by members of the organisation and the compartmentalisation of their roles.
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