Yzabelle Bostyn
AUTHORITIES in Spain have warned narcos are using war weapons from Ukraine ‘without fear’ in a growing trend.
The Guardia Civil has warned against an ‘exponential’ increase in the use of weapons of war by narcos in Andalucia.
Most of the arms come from Ukraine, the Middle East and Sahel and have been found in Algeciras, Cadiz and Almeria.
“They’ve lost all fear and are even using them when we come to make arrests,” revealed El Español.
The Spanish media outlet reportedly spoke to an officer high up in the fight against drug trafficking in Andalucia.
They claimed in the past six years, war weapons have gone from being a rare occurrence to a normal sight, being spotted ‘two or three’ times a month during raids.
According to El Español’s source, the weapons are present in every gang and are used in a variety of operations from moving money to robbing cars and trafficking weapons.
It is thought the NATO weapons donated by various countries to Ukraine end up in gangs through the dark web.
In May, a gang in Sanlucar de Barrameda shot at Guardia Civil officers using war weapons when they intervened in a hashish shipment.
Just a few days ago in Huelva, narcotrafficking investigators in Benemerita found war weapons in ‘pristine condition’, with criminals ‘ready and waiting’ to use them against officers.
“By some miracle we didn’t have any deaths that day. But they were ready for us, they’ve lost all fear,” said the source.
The gang, known as A.R.P, had the capacity to carry out six operations at a time throughout Europe using submarines, ships and more.
When arrested, the gang had around half a million euros in cash believed to be made from trafficking cocaine from Colombia and Panama.
It is said they laundered the cash through a gym in Huelva.
Some 31 people were arrested in the operation, 25 in Huelva, two in Sevilla, two in Algeciras, one in Granada and one in Malaga.
They are accused of crimes against public health, belonging to a criminal gang, possessing weapons of war, money laundering, possessing contraband, false documentation and vehicle robbery.
The arrests were part of operations dubbed Linked, which focussed on drug trafficking and Ecolinked, which focussed on dismantling the organisation’s finances and logistics.
The operation saw over 278 kilograms of cocaine and 3.831 kilograms of hashish seized over 18 raids spanning Huelva, Moguer, Trigueros, Beas, San Juan del Puerto and Gibraleon.
They also seized over €500,000 in cash, ten vehicles and much technology used in the gang’s operations.
Over 50 bank accounts have been blocked, alongside five properties, 23 vehicles and a boat.
The international operation, coordinated by Huelva Magistrate’s Court (number five), was a joint effort between authorities in Colombia, Panama, the United Kingdom, the United States, Portugal and France.
Europol officers also carried out groundwork in Colombia, Guayana, Panama, France and Portugal.
