Major crime gang shipping marijuana to Ireland in sacks of animal feed busted by Spanish cops
Major crime gang shipping marijuana to Ireland in sacks of animal feed busted by Spanish cops
A total of 14 people have been arrested after a crime gang that had been shipping marijuana to Ireland from Spain in sacks of animal feed was busted.
Spain's National Police took down the criminal organisation which led to the arrests, including 13 in Spain and one in Ireland.
Police also carried out 12 searches in Madrid, Malaga and Seville and seized €100,000 in cash, 630 marijuana plants, a firearm and three detonators, high-end vehicles, luxury watches and 'effects related to criminal activity'.
At the same time as the searches were underway, 'movable and immovable property' and financial assets worth more than €2m were also seized.
Firearms were also seized
'National Police officers, with the collaboration of the British National Civilian Control Center (NCA) and the Irish Garda Síochána, have dismantled a criminal organization that was sending marijuana to Ireland hidden in sacks of animal feed,' Spain's Ministry of the Interior said in a statement.
News in 90 Seconds - Aug 7th
According to the ministry, the investigation was launched in January after a criminal network comprised of British, Irish, and Spanish citizens was identified.
The network used international freight forwarding companies to ship pallets of animal feed containing marijuana buds to Ireland.
Further investigations revealed how these shipments were regularly sent to the British Isles having been first prepared and packaged in Spain.
According to investigators, those arrested have reportedly been involved in the operation since 2019.
it is estimated they may have trafficked more than three tons of marijuana over the course of the six years.
Following months of investigation, several arrests were made, both in Spain and Ireland, resulting in the seizure of a total of 300 kilograms of marijuana.
Searches were carried out across Spain
Officers carried out 12 searches in the provinces of Málaga, Madrid, and Seville, the ministry added, 'and arrested 13 people in the same provinces who were allegedly members of the criminal organisation'.
'In addition, in the Irish county of Louth, Garda Síochána officers carried out a house search and arrested another person belonging to the criminal structure,' they added.
During the house searches, officers seized €95,920 in cash, £2,930, $1,922, 630 marijuana plants, a semi-automatic pistol, three blank-calibre pistols, 11 vehicles, six luxury watches valued at over €200,000, as well as numerous electronic devices and other criminal-related items.
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