ISSUE NO. 1791
31 Oct. - 6 Nov. 2019
COSTA DEL SOL
YOUR PAPER, YOUR VOICE, YOUR OPINION
SMUGGLERS SMASHED by Dilip Kuner GUARDIA CIVIL and the Royal Gibraltar Police have smashed a drugs smuggling network in a joint operation. Thirty-eight people - including nine Brits - have been arrested and 3,600 kilos of hashish seized in the latest phas e o f t h e o p e r a t i o n . Te n b o ats , three jet skis and numerous bank accounts were also confiscated. The operation took place in Cadiz, Malaga and the Rock and was against what has been called “a powerful criminal organisation dedicated to drug trafficking.” Investigators detected late last year that a g a n g wa s sm u g g lin g larg e amounts of hashish and then laundering the proceeds. In the first phase of Operation Helix 3,500 kilos of hashish was seized and 29 Spaniards were arrested in the Campo de Gibraltar and Malaga. In addition, 16 searches were carried out in warehouses and homes in the Campo de Gi b r a l t a r r e g i o n an d in th e province of Malaga. Nineteen vehicles, three of them stolen, seven boats and €380,000 cash were seized. Police also identified several Gibraltarian citizens who were allegedly part of the same network, including the ring leader. Close cooperation was established between Guardia Civil and the Royal Gibraltar Police, through its Financial Crimes and Money Laundering Unit. This body initiated its own investigation called Halogen which worked
MAJOR OPERATION: Royal Gibraltar Police and Guardia Civil worked hand in hand. in parallel to Helix. On October 22, the Gibraltarian police culminated the operation with raids on nine homes and the arrest of five men and four women - all British - on suspicion of money laundering. In addition, the R G P s e iz e d nine ve hic le s , thre e yachts, three jet skis, cash and other valuables. As a result of this operation, the Supreme Court of Gibraltar issued a restrictive order under the Criminal
Proceeds Act to freeze 14 bank accounts, seize three taxi licences, three business establishments and three residential properties The nine detainees arrested by the R G P ha ve be e n re le a s e d on ba il of £10,000 each and will have to appear at the Gibraltar police station in April 2020. The investigation remains open and further police action is not ruled out in the near future.
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