VALENCIA – In a joint operation between the Guardia Civil, and the Agencia Tributaria (Tax Agency in Spain) 5.5 tons of cocaine have been seized in the port of Valencia. This is the largest cocaine seizure in Spain for more than 4 years. It is also the most important seizure in the port since records began.
Furthermore, if the 5.5 tons of cocaine had reached its intended destination in Spain, once cut, it would have had a street value of over €340 million.
Hidden among legal merchandise
The investigation began in 2021 by looking into various legal imports to Spain of fruit and vegetables coming from the other side of the Atlantic. By September of last year, this paid off as police were able to intervene in the port of Barcelona where they seized 70 kilos of cocaine hidden in such merchandise.
Following on from this, police identified a container from South America that was in the port of Valencia. The container was one that they suspected could have been used to conceal drugs. Consequently, they proceeded to inspect it. Over 5.5 tons of cocaine were hidden inside among legal merchandise.
The investigation is still ongoing
Despite the massive cocaine haul seized by the police, the investigation remains open. There is much work still to be done to identify the person responsible for shipping the drug to Spain, the smugglers,and also the person here who would be in charge of its distribution network in Spain.
The operation was carried out by the EDOA of the Organic Unit of the Judicial Police of Valencia, officials of the Customs Surveillance Service of the Tax Agency of Valencia and Madrid and the Risk Analysis Unit (UAR) that make up the ODAIFI of the Guard Civil and the Tax Agency (through the Customs Surveillance Service).
Also read: 34 arrested and 12.6 tons of marijuana seized in Barcelona
