The Guardia Civil has intercepted 1,184 kilograms of cocaine hidden aboard a fishing vessel that docked in the port of Santa Pola in Alicante. The operation has resulted in ten people being arrested and another individual being investigated for their alleged involvement in a crime against public health in the form of drug trafficking.
The narcotics were distributed across 40 burlap bales, which were concealed inside ten large containers that were partially covered with fishing nets to hinder detection. The investigation uncovered an organised structure with a division of duties between individuals who allegedly collected and transported the drugs by sea and those who provided support from land.
The investigation began earlier in the year when officers received information regarding the potential use of fishing vessels to smuggle illicit substances through the Alicante coastline. Investigators subsequently focused their efforts on identifying movements consistent with retrieving cargoes at sea and transporting them to port.
On the morning of 18th September, officers detected suspicious movements from a vessel off the provincial coastline and identified a fishing boat heading towards Santa Pola. In response to these indications, a surveillance and tracking operation was established to monitor both its route and the activity of its crew upon arrival at the port. Additionally, officers spotted a man allegedly conducting surveillance around the docks to warn of any potential police presence.
Once the vessel had docked, personnel from the Provincial Maritime Service and the Citizen Security Unit of the Alicante Command accessed the fishing boat and located the ten containers holding the drugs. The inspection enabled the seizure of the 40 bales, which had a total weight of 1,184 kilograms of cocaine.
During this initial phase, three people were arrested, and two house searches were conducted at a flat in Elche and a chalet in Santa Pola, where a vessel, a vehicle, and a motorcycle were seized.
Subsequent inquiries confirmed an alleged division of responsibilities among those involved. While some individuals were reportedly responsible for receiving the drugs on the high seas and transporting them to the port aboard the fishing boat, another suspect allegedly provided ground support through surveillance duties during the vessel’s arrival.
The investigation also identified a group operating from within the port of Santa Pola itself that acted in a coordinated manner with those receiving the cargo at sea. This intelligence led to a second phase of the operation, which resulted in the arrest of seven individuals and the investigation of one more person.
The suspects are accused of an alleged crime against public health through drug trafficking. The judicial authority has ordered four of the detainees to be remanded in custody.
The operation was carried out by the Organised Crime and Anti-Drug Team of the Judicial Police Organic Unit of the Alicante Command, with participation from the Provincial Maritime Service and the Citizen Security Unit, coordination support from the Complex Operational Centre of the Alicante Command, and direction by the Investigation Section of the Court of Instance of Elche.
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