El Campello Civil Guard detained eleven people and opened an investigation against two others, dismantling a criminal network involved in drug trafficking that operated from three occupied homes in Busot and Monforte del Cid. The operation also uncovered a sophisticated cryptocurrency mining set-up powered through an illicit electrical connection, highlighting the group’s attempt to blend traditional crime with digital asset activity. [Source: Civil Guard Alicante Command]
In the course of the action, authorities seized substantial quantities of illegal substances: 22 kilograms of dried cannabis buds and packaging intended for distribution, 334 grams of cannabis resin and poppy pods, 18 grams of cocaine, and 554 cannabis seedlings. The seizure extended to technology and assets used to fund illicit activity, including 30 computer processors, two vehicles, and 1,090 euros in cash linked to the cryptocurrency operation. Firearms were recovered as well, including two pistols of 9 mm with silencers, an array of jewelry, large ammunition reserves, four prohibited white firearms, and a large stock of tools and supplies used to support the illegal activities of the detainees. [Source: Civil Guard Alicante Command]
The Civil Guard charged the detainees with family ties and a history of drug-related offenses. The group was accused of growing and processing cannabis, trafficking narcotics, laundering money, possessing illegal weapons, electricity fraud, and belonging to a criminal organization. Five of those arrested were sent to prison after appearing before the court. [Source: Civil Guard Alicante Command]
The investigation began late last year amid suspicions of drug dealing at a Busot residence that had been illegally occupied. Early findings by agents from the El Campello Investigative District suggested the group functioned as a family network devoted to drug trafficking and had established a strong local footprint. [Source: Civil Guard Alicante Command]
As the inquiry progressed, two additional illegally occupied houses were identified, one in Busot and another in Monforte del Cid. Investigators continued to map the organization and its members, advancing to the execution phase on March 25 in what authorities described as the culmination of the operation. [Source: Civil Guard Alicante Command]
During the searches in Busot, investigators discovered a highly developed cryptocurrency mining operation, including a farm that used professional-grade equipment. Thirty processing units were seized, and a large industrial fan system was recovered. The site relied on an illicit electricity connection, underscoring the calculated nature of the operation. [Source: Civil Guard Alicante Command]
At the time of intervention, the criminal network was expanding the mining farm and seizing a fresh batch of devices still in their original packaging. The Civil Guard explained that a cryptocurrency mining operation typically combines various computing devices with power supplies and cooling systems to generate digital currency, a scheme that criminals have increasingly adopted as a means to generate illicit profits or launder money. [Source: Civil Guard Alicante Command]
Beyond cryptocurrency, investigators found cannabis cultivation at several residences, along with additional firearms and other narcotic substances. Monforte del Cid housed a cannabis nursery where suspects briefly concealed the drug before selling it on the illicit market. The group had implemented robust security measures to protect their activities and possessed weapons capable of immediate use. [Source: Civil Guard Alicante Command]
Interior observations revealed that cannabis plants were kept in rooms sealed with polyurethane foam and lined with reflective materials to minimize heat and odor leakage, creating a discrete cultivation environment. Of the thirteen individuals implicated in the operation, all were Spanish nationals except for one of Moroccan origin who supplied the cannabis. [Source: Civil Guard Alicante Command]
The operation was executed by the El Campello Civil Guard Main Post, with close collaboration from the Jijona Post, Forensic Police Team St. John’s, the Citizen Security Unit USECIC in Torrevieja, the Civil Guard Cinological Service in Alicante, Busot Local Police, and the Air Resources Unit in Elche. [Source: Civil Guard Alicante Command]
The detainees were handed over to the prosecutor’s office, and the San Vicente del Raspeig Court of First Instance issued orders for the imprisonment of five key members, including a 45-year-old Spaniard who had participated in numerous anti-drug trafficking operations over more than a decade. The case underscores the persistence and coordination of law enforcement in combating organized crime across multiple municipalities. [Source: Civil Guard Alicante Command]