An international illegal tobacco smuggling network has been dismantled by the Guardia Civil following a major operation that resulted in 50 arrests. The Central Operative Unit (UCO) of the Guardia Civil carried out 23 searches of properties, residential homes, and industrial warehouses across several provinces, including Alicante, Cuenca, Huelva, Murcia, Seville, and Toledo.
The extensive operation led to the seizure of more than 20 million cigarettes and 38.4 tonnes of cut tobacco and tobacco leaves, with an estimated market value exceeding ten million euro. Investigations revealed that the illicit facilities had a combined potential daily production capacity of up to 7.8 million cigarettes.
Officers targeted two distinct international criminal organisations based in Spain. These networks were dedicated to the large-scale production of contraband tobacco within the country, which was subsequently distributed and sold in various European nations. The individuals arrested include two fugitives fleeing Polish justice, who have since been placed at the disposal of the courts in Poland.
The complex investigation originally began in Spain more than seven years ago after the Guardia Civil received initial intelligence via Europol, alongside cooperation from Poland and Lithuania.
Enquiries confirmed that the criminal network distributed the contraband cigarettes to third-party organisations, with branches stretching across the south of the Iberian Peninsula, Portugal, and France. Authorities have not ruled out the possibility that the illegal merchandise was also destined for the United Kingdom.
The dismantled clandestine factories contained dedicated living spaces where labourers were housed permanently. Investigators discovered that these workers lived in highly precarious and overcrowded conditions, effectively packed into rooms built directly inside the industrial facilities.
In total, the Guardia Civil successfully shut down four active and two inactive tobacco factories. In addition to the massive haul of tobacco products, officers confiscated 18 vehicles, numerous encrypted electronic devices, 170,000 euro in cash, and firearms.
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