- This macro criminal organization was behind a third of the total cocaine market in Europe.
- Simultaneously detained 6 high-value targets, considered the "Lords of Drugs".
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| Civil Guard operation. |
The Civil Guard dismantles the "European super cocaine cartel" and heads off the "Drug Lords" in Dubai
The Civil Guard, within the framework of the international police operation called Desert Light, coordinated by Europol and in which police agencies from the Netherlands, France, Belgium, and Dubai have also participated, has managed to dismantle a super cartel that controlled a large part of the market of cocaine in Europe.
This macro criminal organization had established its base in these countries, coinciding with the location of the most important European ports considered the main gateway for narcotics to the European continent.
From the city-emirate of Dubai, the leaders of this mega cartel, known as the "Lords of Drugs" for the participants in this operation, controlled and directed the criminal activities of the different cells, under the conviction of being in a sanctuary where they felt untouchable and allowed them to maintain a high standard of living.
A criminal organization had been established in Spain and was smuggling containers of cocaine through Barcelona, Valencia, and Algeciras.
In the course of the investigation, more than 30 tons of cocaine were seized that were intended to flood Europe with this drug and which, together with the estimates made by Europol, could account for a third of the total market, which makes the cartel a true whale. in the world of global drug trafficking.
Coordinated actions
Between November 8 and 19, joint actions have been carried out in several European countries and Dubai simultaneously with the aim of dismantling the logistical structure, represented by the criminal groups responsible for the introduction of the drug in each country, as well as decapitating the organization, in the figure of these "Lords of Drugs" settled in the aforementioned emirate.
As a result of these actions, 49 people have been arrested in Spain, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Dubai, of which 7 are considered High-Value Targets (HVT), according to the EUROPOL agency, having Police agencies from the USA (DEA), United Kingdom (NCA) and Bulgaria also participated.
Operation Faukas
With regard to Spain, the Civil Guard has called this investigation Operation Faukas, and it has been carried out by the Central Anti-drug Group of the Central Operative Unit (UCO), having carried out actions in Malaga, Madrid, and Barcelona simultaneously. on the 8th of this month. These have resulted in the arrest of 15 people, including 3 HTVs for Europol, 2 of them in Dubai and another in Malaga, all in the more than 21 searches at homes and companies related to this organization.
The Faukas operation began with the seizure, by the Civil Guard, of a container in the Port of Valencia in March 2020, through which they intended to introduce 698 kg of cocaine, with no arrests or responsibility being made at that time.
This is a historic milestone in the fight against global drug trafficking and is unprecedented
This fact gave rise to a broad exchange of information, sponsored by EUROPOL, with numerous police agencies from other countries and which borne fruit by achieving the identification of the persons responsible for the introduction of the container, as well as its "contamination" at source. , Panama.
In this way, during the course of the investigation, it has been possible to verify how a criminal organization had been established in Spain that was introducing containers with cocaine inside through the Ports of Barcelona, Valencia and Algeciras, and which in turn had formed a complex corporate network of real estate investments in the Costa del Sol area in order to launder the profits obtained from drug trafficking.
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| Civil Guard anti-drug operation. |
Organization roles
It has been possible to identify the leader of this organization, a British citizen linked to the Costa del Sol who had to leave Spain due to an attempted kidnapping against him, moving to Dubai, a place from where he continued directing and coordinating the criminal activities of the organization while maintaining contacts and drug dealing businesses with the rest of the "Drug Lords" based in this city-emirate.
In the same way, the Civil Guard managed to identify the source supplier of the drug, turning out to be a Panamanian citizen also living in Dubai, who would be responsible for the introduction of the drug in the Port of Manzanillo (Panama) and who also maintained contacts with the rest of the barons in the emirate.
This criminal organization based in Spain had two perfectly differentiated structures, one in charge of extracting drugs from commercial seaports and another responsible for money laundering through Real Estate companies.
The first one would be located between the provinces of Barcelona and Malaga, having a direct influence on the Port of Barcelona and being made up of two citizens of Bulgarian origin, one of them considered as HVT for EUROPOL, and three of Spanish origin, One of them being a worker at the port of Barcelona, responsible for the entry and exit of vehicles.
The other part would be made up of people highly trusted by the leader of the criminal organization, located on the Costa del Sol, the nerve center of their financial activities, from where they would have acquired movable and immovable property and shares worth about 24 million euros. , integrating them into the legal economic circuit.
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| Anti-drug operation. |
In the records appeared elements that link those investigated to criminal activity, as well as more than €500,000 in cash, 3 short arms with ammunition magazines, and luxury items including high-end vehicles, some of them with prices close to €300,000.
"There will be no safe place for Drug Lords"
This operation has reached a historic milestone in the fight against global drug trafficking and the action carried out in Dubai is unprecedented, culminating in the simultaneous arrest of 6 HVT who were taking refuge in this emirate with the conviction that they felt safe. except for possible police action.
For months now, the Civil Guard has been working jointly and in coordination with the Dubai Police, within the framework of Operation Faukas, holding regular meetings in Spain and Dubai with the main heads of the Dubai authorities. With this, a bond between the two police forces has been strengthened, which has allowed successful police actions to be carried out in recent months.
With this international effort by all the agencies involved, a strong message is sent to criminal organizations, the sense that no place will be safe for those who try to evade justice.
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