Spain’s National Police in cooperation with Tax Agency’s Customs Surveillance Service have seized the largest cocaine haul in Spain to date in the Port of Algeciras (Cadiz).

Almost 9.5 tonnes of narcotic substance, hidden in banana crates, were seized on 23 August in a refrigerated maritime container from Ecuador, said the Spanish Tax Agency’s Customs Surveillance Service.

More than 30 different logos were detected on the illicit shipment, which correspond to the different European criminal organisations receiving the shipment.

The criminal organisation responsible for supplying cocaine to the most powerful networks in Europe had an extensive business network for shipping containers from Ecuador to Spain.

The first investigations of the operation, which is part of the Southern Plan aimed at combating drug trafficking in the Campo de Gibraltar, began in July when the authorities became aware of the existence of a criminal organisation responsible for supplying cocaine from South America to Europe.

“The investigators detected that the network had an extensive business network for the shipment of drugs from Ecuador to our country via different Spanish ports, mainly Algeciras and Vigo,” said the Spanish Tax Agency’s Customs Surveillance Service.

Investigators found that the organisation operated through an international banana trading company located in Machala (Ecuador). From there, the goods were sent in sea containers to different Spanish companies controlled by members of the criminal network.

After several investigations, investigators from the customs surveillance service and the national police established the high logistical capacity of the network, which was capable of sending 40 containers a month to Europe, and discovered that some of them were contaminated with the narcotic substance.

“It was at this point that customs officials began to monitor the organisation’s shipments and a consignment of 15 containers was detected, allegedly entering Europe at the beginning of August. For this reason, the necessary arrangements were made at the Port of Algeciras to carry out an inspection,” the Tax Agency mentioned.