John Culatto
SIX criminal groups suspected of laundering €2.5 million of hash smuggling profits have been shut down in a large police operation around the Cadiz province.
Over 200 Guardia Civil agents took part in ‘Operation Lodos’ that saw raids on 15 addresses in Algeciras, La Linea, San Roque and Chiclana and 106 arrests.
General director of the Guardia Civil, Maria Gamez, announced the successful operation that seized €150,000 in cash, a pistol and criminal records.
Gamez explained that the operation was made possible by the ‘Barros’ international hashish trafficking operation in July 2020.
One of the 91 people arrested in that operation was Potito, leader of the Barros gang.
After interrogating him, Guardia Civil agents learned of two men he had charged with refuelling fast launches that brought the hashish from Morocco.
The agents also connected him with the other members of the criminal organisation in Chiclana and the Gibraltar Campo.
Agents discovered the money would be used to buy ten houses, three flats, a garage and high-value cars.
Gamez declared that 536 anti-drugs operations had been conducted in the first three months of this year, 62 against money laundering.
From January to March 2021, police arrested 801 people, seized 55 tons of drugs and discovered €19 million of criminal funds.
“As you can see, these are very conclusive figures of the enormous effort carried out by the Guardia Civil,” said Gamez.
“We are attacking the hearts of criminal organisations.”
