The Civil Guard announced a major narcotics seizure involving more than four metric tons of cannabis recovered from 134 bales aboard an eel boat in the Guadalquivir River near Cadiz. According to a Tuesday press release, the operation was coordinated under the Comprehensive External Surveillance System, known as SIVE, and targeted a vessel sailing toward the river’s mouth without lights. The scene unfolded with rapid mobilization as the alert was raised and authorities moved to intercept the vessel.
A rapid response plan was activated, bringing together a helicopter from the Civil Guard Air Division, a ship from the Corps Provincial Maritime Service, and ground units to the operation. The coordinated arrival of air, sea, and land assets underscored the scale of the enforcement effort and the seriousness of the suspected conspiracy to traffic large quantities of illegal drugs.
Investigators confirmed that the crew of the high-speed boat, equipped with four engines rated at 300 horsepower each, was transporting the cannabis to transfer points along the river. The operators shifted cargo from the motor vessel to one of several eel boats that were stranded on the riverbed, attempting a swift reorientation as authorities approached. When the guards detected activity, the crew initiated an evasive maneuver upriver at a high speed, attempting to outpace the law enforcement presence.
The Civil Guard boarded the eel boat and found 134 fabric-wrapped sacks containing marijuana, with an initial weight surpassing four thousand kilograms. The discovery highlighted the sophisticated logistics behind the drug haul and the deliberate use of river routes to conceal shipments from inland controls. The seizure formed part of an ongoing crackdown on organized crime networks that rely on mobile platforms to move contraband across coastal and inland borders.
Patrols on land reported sighting the high-speed boat near the Martín Ruiz canal, triggering rapid coordination with maritime assets and port authorities. The marijuana and related transportation assets were subsequently moved to Chipiona Port for processing and further examination. Investigators continue to review surveillance data, examine vessel manifests, and identify associates behind the operation to secure arrests and dismantle the broader supply chain. The pursuit of those responsible remains a priority as the investigation progresses and more details become available for publication in ongoing official updates. [Civil Guard press release, 2024]