NAVARRA – The Guardia Civil successfully thwarted a daring marijuana heist orchestrated by a group of criminals who masqueraded as law enforcement officers.
The incident unfolded on the A-15 in Mugiro-Larráun, Navarra. Here a gang, brandishing firearms, hijacked a truck carrying nearly 300 kilograms of marijuana concealed among crates of lettuce.
The heist
It all began when a criminal gang posing as police officers, intercepted a truck transporting marijuana on the A-15 motorway. The impostors, driving a stolen white car, forcibly took control of the vehicle at gunpoint. They then attempted to make their escape towards Pamplona.
The Guardia Civil initiated a search operation to track down the stolen truck and the criminals responsible for the heist. Soon after, they located the truck at the Marcilla toll booth. Upon inspection, the police, aided by a skilled K-9 unit, discovered the illicit cargo hidden beneath crates of fresh lettuce.
Marijuana concealed amidst crates of lettuce
The smugglers had hidden 276 kilograms of marijuana within boxes of lettuce. This made it a little more challenging for authorities to detect the drugs. The packages, each weighing approximately one kilogram, were hidden at the bottom of these vegetable crates.
Arrested and siezed
The Guardia Civil arrested five individuals directly involved in the heist. These individuals face multiple charges, including robbery with violence and intimidation, drug trafficking, impersonation of public officials, motor vehicle theft, forgery of public documents, and participation in a criminal organisation.
Additionally, the authorities apprehended the two truck drivers, charging them with drug trafficking offenses for their involvement in transporting the marijuana before the heist occurred.
Lettuce donations to food banks
Remarkably, amidst the criminal activities, the seized lettuce, still fresh and fit for consumption, was promptly donated to local food banks.
The case is now under the jurisdiction of the Tafalla Court of First Instance and Investigation in Navarra, where a thorough investigation into the incident is underway.
