In the 19th century, smugglers used trained dogs to carry tobacco from Gibraltar to La Linea de la Concepcion, laying the groundwork for a criminal lineage that would later expand into cannabis trafficking tied to Moroccan production in the 20th century. The saga began to unfold on April 10 in Algeciras, when a macro lawsuit brought by brothers Antonio and Francisco Tejón targeted more than 150 alleged members of the Castaña clan. It was presented as the culmination of a government clampdown on drug trafficking along the Andalusian coast in 2018, a campaign that stirred unprecedented anger. The case also underscored how fortunes can be poured into specialized legal help by Southern drug traffickers.
Andros Lozano, author of The Cost, The Laws of the Strait (KO Books), estimates that at least 10,000 Moroccans work in cannabis promotion around Málaga, Huelva, and especially Cádiz. “Police calculations put the number at about 3,000 people just in La Línea,” he notes. “Based on what is known, 10,000 seems a prudent estimate.”
The book Cost examines cannabis resin smuggling through historical, geographic, and socioeconomic lenses, noting Cádiz’s unemployment rate at a staggering 25 percent. It also maps the industry’s structure and introduces the key players who drive the racket. Lozano brings the story to life by following police operations and meeting varying figures within law enforcement and the trafficking world, as well as the victims.
With four “pigs” in a boat
A journalist from El Mundo once set off in a small rigid boat for a round trip between a Cádiz beach and a Moroccan beach. They carried four narcotics bundles and returned with 2,400 kilos of marijuana on board. Lozano recalls three fears during the voyage: a trusted intermediary siren called a Notary, a possible accident at sea during a chase, and the risk of a theft during unloading. “I didn’t ask questions when notaries intervened, and we avoided trouble on the water,” he says. He hints that the legal system and protection issues would become clearer in due time as the investigation unfolds.
Lozano describes why a transit captain agreed to carry him aboard, noting a year and a half of contact with traffickers. Three days after the trip, he received a photograph showing a trader uncorking champagne beside a bare-chested woman, accompanied by the message: “Life is smiling at me.”
Exhibitionism on social networks
The narcotics world often tries to blend into everyday life with discreet swagger. It is common to see fashion, luxury cars, villas, yachts, and nightlife celebrated on social media as part of a gaudy narco lifestyle. Lozano points to videos and posts that reveal a culture of showmanship, from brash posts to provocative images, sometimes featuring a sense of invincibility. A notorious figure from La Línea once posted a shrimp-eating moment from a prison cell to TikTok and shared a photo of a Mercedes and a Lamborghini with the caption about leaving Botafuegos. The display is loud, and it resonates with those who profit from risk.
Cost challenges the idea that cannabis trafficking is minor compared with cocaine and heroin. Lozano notes that drug gangs across the world maintain cells on the Costa del Sol, driving violence and the need to settle scores as demand shifts and supply chains adapt. The narrative underscores the constant tension between criminal networks and law enforcement, and the human toll that accompanies it.
Legalization: all or nothing
The debate over cannabis legalization looms large. Lozano suggests that broad EU adoption could affect Andalusian trafficking routes, given that intermediaries in the region move drugs to networks across Europe. He also points out that tobacco remains legal in many places, yet tobacco smuggling persists due to profit margins.
The Moroccan side presents another layer of complexity. Lozano observes significant production in Ketama and notes that the Moroccan government may not be prioritizing a crackdown at the source. During the pandemic, border closures coincided with a surge in activity, including drone-based cannabis transfers from Morocco to Ceuta. In July 2021, authorities seized a drone capable of seven hours of flight, 170 kilometers per hour, and a 150-kilogram payload on the Costa del Sol. The future of drug trafficking through the Strait may lie in airborne routes, Lozano contends, explaining that traffickers often stay ahead and may pivot to drones when pressure at sea intensifies. He emphasizes that air-based interception remains more feasible than sea-based interdiction.