Agents of Spain’s National Police dismantled in Algeciras a criminal organisation that flew hashish into Spain from Morocco with unmanned aircraft, the Interior Ministry announced on Thursday, 28 November 2024.[1][2]
The large homemade drones were built in Ukraine and driven by road to southern Spain, where people from eastern Europe operated them for local crime groups in the Campo de Gibraltar and the Costa del Sol.[1][2] Each drone carried about 10 kg of hashish per flight and flew over 50 km across the Strait, dropping the drug in Spain without landing, after which the aircraft returned to Morocco.[1][2] Investigators estimate the network moved about 1,000 kg of hashish this way in up to a hundred flights.[1][2]
After an investigation of more than a year, supported by Europol and police in Ukraine and Poland, officers carried out six house searches in Algeciras and Marbella.[1][2] Ten people were arrested and three aircraft seized, one still under construction, along with remote controls, repair tools, cash and hashish brought in by drone.[1][2] The detainees were placed before Algeciras investigating court number 5, which remanded seven of them in custody.[1][2]
