Spain’s National Police, working with Germany’s BKA and Cologne police, dismantled a Marbella-based criminal organisation accused of moving large quantities of drugs internationally into Europe.[1] The suspected leader was arrested in Marbella and was listed by Europol as a High Value Target after learning the trade working for another organisation with the same methods.[1] Eight other suspects were arrested in Germany, making nine detainees in total.[1] A court ordered all nine into prison on suspected criminal organisation, drug trafficking and money laundering.[1]

The raids were carried out in June, with 35 searches: 31 in Germany, one in Austria and three in Marbella.[1] Cologne police said officers struck on the morning of Monday 22 June.[2] Officers seized more than four tonnes of cannabis, recorded here as 4,000 kilograms.[1] The searches also yielded 126,000 euros, five firearms, eight vehicles, 18 mobile phones, a clandestine laboratory and business documents.[1]

The same searches also turned up about 27.5 kilos of cocaine, about 1.5 kilos of crack and 800 litres of amphetamine oil; only the cannabis is counted in this report’s figures.[3] Investigators said the network moved marijuana from Malaga province to other EU countries and used the monthly proceeds to finance seaborne cocaine shipments from Bolivia.[1] Profits of more than 11 million euros were laundered through property, usually commercial premises.[1] The investigation began in April through Spanish-German police cooperation into cocaine shipments from Bolivia and marijuana traffic from Malaga to EU countries.[1]