Lorraine Williamson
Spanish police have seized more than four tonnes of hashish from a property in Ayamonte, Huelva, including over 1,000 kilos concealed in an underground hiding place covered with bread. A man suspected of guarding the drugs has been arrested and remanded in custody.
The operation, announced by the Policía Nacional on Monday 26 October, uncovered what investigators believe was a storage centre used by an international drug trafficking organisation supplying markets across Europe.
Bread covering floor leads police to hidden drugs cache
Officers searching the property noticed an unusual sight: around 100 loaves of bread scattered across the floor, despite there being no animals on the premises to explain their presence. The discovery prompted a closer examination of the area, revealing a concealed underground compartment containing more than a tonne of hashish.
The hiding place was protected by security measures that included firearms, according to police. Investigators continued searching the property and discovered further packages stored in different areas, eventually recovering more than 4,000 kilos of hashish in total.
Suspect arrested while moving 600 kilos of hashish
Police arrested the man believed to be responsible for guarding the drugs as he was preparing to transport approximately 600 kilos of hashish in a trailer attached to his four-wheel-drive vehicle. Investigators believe the consignment was intended for distribution elsewhere in Europe.
The suspect was brought before a judge and remanded in custody. He is suspected of involvement in a criminal organisation, drug trafficking and unlawful possession of firearms. Police have not released further details about his identity.
Drug trafficking route through Huelva and the Guadiana
The investigation began in 2024, when police received information suggesting that a criminal network operating in Huelva province was involved in transporting and handling large quantities of drugs.
According to investigators, the organisation used fishing boats appearing to carry out ordinary maritime activities, alongside high-speed vessels commonly known as narcolanchas, to bring hashish and cocaine towards the Huelva coast. The drugs were then brought ashore through the River Guadiana, which forms part of the border between Spain and Portugal.
Once inside Spain, the consignments were transferred to concealed storage locations, known in Spanish police terminology as guarderías. From these properties, the drugs were prepared for onward transportation to other parts of Spain and European countries.
More than four tonnes recovered in police operation
The Ayamonte property was one of the storage locations identified during the investigation. Police say the discovery of the underground compartment, together with drugs stored elsewhere on the premises, brought the total quantity seized to more than four tonnes.
The Policía Nacional announced the operation on 26 October but did not specify the exact date of the raid. The investigation highlights the use of the Huelva coastline and the Guadiana estuary as routes for international drug trafficking, with consignments passing through Andalucía before reaching other European markets.