Spain Busts Major Morocco-Linked Drug Network on Guadalquivir Route

Doha – The Spanish Civil Guard has arrested 23 members of a criminal organization known as “El Tarta,” which was responsible for trafficking large quantities of hashish from Morocco through the Guadalquivir River.

The operation, codenamed “Insula,” resulted in the seizure of 452 kilograms of hashish and the recovery of stolen vehicles used for drug transport.

Among those detained was the group’s leader, known as “El Tarta,” a notorious drug trafficker in the region. The criminal network operated primarily between the provinces of Seville and Cádiz, with a significant presence in Lebrija.

During the operation, authorities conducted 20 house searches across various locations, including San Roque, Lebrija, El Palmar de Troya, Trebujena, Sanlúcar de Barrameda, and Rota.

The Civil Guard also seized three high-speed boats, each equipped with 300-horsepower motors, along with 22,406 liters of gasoline, €54,840 in cash, and various electronic devices including GPS systems and satellite phones.

The investigation, which began in April 2024, revealed a highly organized structure where each member had specific roles. The group maintained storage facilities for drugs and fuel supplies for their speedboats operating on the Guadalquivir River.

On the other side of the Mediterranean, Morocco has emerged as a formidable force in the fight against drug trafficking.

Between 2020 and 2024, the country’s security services intercepted substantial quantities of illegal substances, including 1,777 tons of cannabis resin, 1,222 tons of cannabis herb, 6.48 tons of cocaine, 38 kg of heroin, and over 8 million psychotropic tablets.

In a simultaneous crackdown effort that made headlines, Spanish authorities recently uncovered a sophisticated drug trafficking tunnel connecting Ceuta to Morocco.

The tunnel, discovered on February 19, measures 12 meters deep and extends at least 50 meters, featuring multiple galleries in Spanish territory. Located in Ceuta’s Tarajal Industrial Park, the tunnel was found during “Operation Hades” and is believed to have been used for hashish trafficking.

This month, Morocco co-sponsored a first-of-its-kind UN resolution addressing the environmental impact of drug-related activities.

The resolution, developed in collaboration with France and Brazil, was adopted during the 68th session of the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs in Vienna.

The initiative encourages member states to integrate environmental protection into their drug policies and will continue through 2029.