Tenerife
The Guardia Civil has fully dismantled a drug smuggling network that, it has been discovered, was bringing in more than 1,000 kilos of hashish every month via the coast of Tenerife from West Africa. 27 people of Spanish and Moroccan nationality have been arrested and more than 9 tons of hashish have been seized in the police operation called Lamak.
In the middle of last year (2020), the first information was obtained about the presence of a criminal organization based in Tenerife capable of bringing in large amounts of hashish to the island.
With the progress of the investigation, it was learned that the criminal network, made up of Moroccan and Spanish nationals, had formed a strong structure and logistics to carry out these activities.
In March 2021 operation Lamak began with the first apprehension of two vans that were transporting 3,500 kilos of hashish, that had just been unloaded on a beach in the municipality of San Miguel de Abona on the southeast coast of Tenerife.
Some of the drugs seized during the operation.
At the end of May, investigators detected how the group was making preparations for the imminent arrival of a new consignment of narcotic substances to the coast of Tenerife and activated teams that intercepted the arrival of a boat at a beach in the municipality of Arico which was carrying 1,800 kilos of hashish.
Despite this, the members of the gang continued to try and bring drugs in, with a new attempt in August of more than 2,000 kilos of hashish using a beach on the north coast of Tenerife.
This attempt was again interrupted by the police and on this occasion, in addition to the drugs, two firearms with their corresponding ammunition were seized, which the organization intended to send to Morocco.
The following day, a van-type vehicle was intercepted, driven by the leader of the organization himself, who was preparing to begin transporting the substances, specifically 1,800 kilos of hashish that were seized by the Guardia Civil.
During the operation, more than 9 tons of hashish and 1.3 kilograms of cocaine have been seized, as well as two pneumatic boats, four outboard engines, three vehicles, thirteen firearms (seven pistols, five long rifle-type weapons, and a single-shot artisanal firearm), four encrypted telephones, approximately 24,000 euros in cash, six GPS for navigation and documentation related to the activity, have been seized.
Likewise, the 27 members of the gang have been arrested, among whom is the leader of the organization, a Spanish citizen for whom there are five judicial arrest warrants, as well as two Moroccan who are experts in maritime navigation.
The investigation has been carried out by agents of the Territorial Team of the Judicial Police of Playa de las Américas and the Organized Crime and Anti-Drug Team (EDOA), belonging to the Organic Unit of the Judicial Police of the Command of the Guardia Civil of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, which has had the support of Citizen Security units and other units of the Guardia Civil.
