Thirteen were arrested in Spain from an international network that brought containers of fruit with cocaine from Ecuador through Algeciras.

sound of cadiz

Algeciras

02/16/2024
Updated at 1:19 pm

The National Police and Customs Surveillance of the Tax Agency, in collaboration with the National Police of Ecuador, have destroyed an alleged Criminal organization dedicated to international cocaine trafficking from Ecuador The money was laundered using a complex trading network hidden in fruit containers, leading to the arrest of 32 people, 13 of whom were in Spain.

More than 800 agents have been part of a police operation to dismantle a network that, between 2019 and 2022, has seen 3,210 kilograms of cocaine seized in different countries and 200 kilograms of cocaine brought into Spain. through the port of Algeciras), as reported by the National Police this Friday.

In addition to the 13 people arrested in Spain – seven in Málaga, two in Barcelona, ​​two in Madrid, one in cadiz And one in Valencia–the other 18 detainees are in Ecuador and one in the United Kingdom.

The investigation, funded with European Commission money, remains open and began in 2020 when the AUn Italian businessman, of Argentinian origin and settled in Marseille (Málaga), who controlled companies dedicated to the production and export of bananas

from Ecuador to Europe, as well as sports centers in Marseille, shopping centers and hospitality and nightlife businesses in Granada, for which signs of financing hidden behind legal business presence were found.

Agents of anti-narcotics units and police experts in the fight against money laundering discovered links between the person under investigation and drug trafficking through the sea. It was reported to the Special Anti-Narcotics Prosecutor’s Office of the National Court, which subsequently took over the investigation until the Central Investigation Court No. 1 of the National Court took over.

Given the complexity of the investigation, Cinternational operations, At the judicial level it is coordinated by the Special Anti-Drug Prosecutor’s Office and at the police level by Europol. The cooperation of the Spanish interior ministers in Ecuador and Russia and the interior attachés in Albania, Belgium, the Netherlands and Turkey was also requested.

This criminal organization was allegedly directed by an Albanian citizen living in Ecuador and an Italian businessman living in Marseille, who ran fruit growing and export companies from Ecuador to the entire world, exporting hundreds of containers annually.

Thanks to this business, police say, they enjoyed comfortable economic conditions that allowed them to have a high standard of living and million-dollar spending, Such as buying real estate in exclusive locations in Marseille, Guayaquil or Dubai, or opening new business avenues such as nightlife or sports.

To hide cocaine in fruit boxes, They were supported by port workers or merchants dedicated to importing fruits.who simulated a legal business relationship to introduce the drugs into their countries.

International network

used different networks methods

To transport cocaine to Europe and it was in 2020, after the seizure of more than 1,100 kg of cocaine in one of its containers in the Netherlands, when they started reducing the size of the shipments to between 15 and 40 kg of narcotics.

They contaminated several containers from the same importer and while the substance was intercepted, the exporting company denied its involvement in the illegal shipment.

According to the police the event was perfect Structured and the person examined settled marbellaIn particular, it provided logistics for shipments to its export companies and coordinated the financial structure for money laundering, for which it had a special manager and collected cash to introduce it to the legal market.

Agents traced the delivery of money barcelona among citizens Ecuador And the environment of the Spanish businessman, an intervention of one million euros hidden inside a vehicle in 2021.

During the investigation, drug shipments have been recognized in the Netherlands, Belgium, Russia, Romania, Albania and Spain, where the organization had two businessmen introducing drugs through Algeciras, who have been arrested and seized in previous operations. Are linked to smuggling.

The researchers’ analysis has allowed Laundered assets worth 36 million dollars in Ecuador and 12 million euros in Spain have been revealed.Also finding that many of those investigated may be laundering their ill-gotten gains through acquisitions crypto assets,

In 22 searches carried out in the provinces of Málaga, Barcelona, ​​Granada, Madrid, Valencia, Cadiz and Seville, approximately 500,000 euros in cash have been seized, More than $12,000, cash in other foreign currencies, a handgun, 12 vehicles, high-end watches, mobile terminals and computer equipment. Assets worth approximately 12 million euros have also been frozen, 88 financial products have been blocked, and four companies have been interdicted through the courts.

For its part, in Ecuador, more than $2,300,000, nine vehicles, nine firearms have been seized, 22 properties and several financial products have been seized, and six legal entities have been seized, giving 36 million dollars in looted assets. It has become possible to detect. Euro.

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