National Police personnel took part in an international operation alongside police agencies from Lithuania and Ireland to dismantle a criminal organisation reportedly linked to Europe’s greatest cocaine haul: 16 tonnes of cocaine confiscated in the Port of Hamburg in 2021. The drug smugglers were bringing cocaine from South America, hashish from Morocco, and marijuana acquired in Spain into Europe. Nine persons have been arrested, including one in Spain, seven in Lithuania, and one in Ireland.
Agents in Spain detained the son of the organisation’s boss and accused lieutenant, who played a major role in the investigation as the organiser of several of the detected drug shipments. This man lived secretly in Orihuela and negotiated cocaine deliveries for the organisation. He was always accompanied by two bodyguards and drove a high-powered automobile, making police surveillance difficult due to its high power and security precautions in place.
In addition, other searches were conducted, resulting in the confiscation of over 2 million euros in cash, seven weapons, 103 kilograms of marijuana, GPS detectors, encrypted mobile phones, and different papers.
The Lithuanian-born organisation had set up shop in Spain to buy significant amounts of hashish, cocaine, and marijuana for shipment to other European countries.
Device
In collaboration with authorities in Lithuania, Poland, and Spain, an inquiry into this organisation’s shipment of drugs to other European nations, where they would establish operational bases, was initiated.
This organisation was heavily deployed in Lithuania and Spain, particularly in the Levante, Tarragona, and Malaga areas, as well as bases in Ireland and other countries, to transport and distribute narcotics acquired in our country or using Spanish territory as a transport hub via ships, trucks, and cars.
The first information about their activities came in 2021, when Lithuanian authorities discovered the encrypted communications of several members of the organisation, which revealed their method of operation: they brought cocaine from South America to Europe, as well as hashish from Morocco and marijuana from Spain, transporting between 4 and 7 tonnes of cocaine per month, according to the information obtained.
Similarly, it was able to watch how the drug traffickers themselves spoke about the loss of their 16-tonne cocaine shipment, which was confiscated by German customs in the Port of Hamburg in 2021, making it the greatest cocaine seizure in European history.
A joint investigation was subsequently initiated, which in Spain was taken before the Central Court of Instruction No. 5, into the organisation’s members, both those who lived in Spain and those who came to our country to arrange drug shipments.
Lieutenants
After two years, it was feasible to determine the actions carried out by this organisation between Spain and Lithuania, as well as the identities of the organisation’s commander and top lieutenants, who were distributed throughout Europe. They travelled through these countries with fake documentation and strict security measures. As a result, a huge police and judicial operation was planned to demolish the organisation in a coordinated and simultaneous fashion.
Because the plot’s members were constantly moving, the major criminals’ movements were closely monitored for several weeks.
Finally, the decision was made to expedite the operation, resulting in a total of 25 raids and searches across many countries. Nine members of the organisation were apprehended in Spain, Lithuania, and Ireland, and seven firearms, more than €2 million in cash, varied amounts of drugs, GPS trackers, five high-end automobiles, bogus documentation, and computer and telephone equipment were confiscated.
Investigations are ongoing based on the effects and documents collected, and additional arrests are not ruled out.
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