marina alta drug crackdown yields major seizures and arrests
A sweeping anti-drug operation by the Civil Guard disrupted a clandestine cocaine and cannabis network operating in the Marina Alta region. The raid, conducted this week, led to the dismantling of multiple sale points and distribution links that transported drugs abroad, especially to the United Kingdom. More than 150 officers were deployed last Tuesday in a widespread effort that culminated in the arrest of 19 individuals and the search of 21 properties, with 14 searches occurring inside homes. The towns targeted included Teulada Moraira, Benissa, and Senija, along with Adsubia, Elche, and San Fulgencio.
The network operated on two fronts: it managed local retail drug sales and coordinated overseas shipments, while its operators also engaged in home burglaries and vehicle thefts to fund and sustain their activities. Eighteen detainees were presented before the Education Court No. 2 in Dénia on Thursday. The remaining suspect remains in custody after authorities acted on a Serbia-issued arrest and extradition warrant tied to violent offenses.
seized items
Authorities recovered a substantial amount of cash totaling around 70,000 euros, seven vehicles (three of which were stolen), four firearms including a light machine gun categorized as a war weapon, and large quantities of illegal drugs and equipment. The seizure included 600 cannabis plants, 16 kilograms of cannabis sprouts, 42 grams of cocaine, and 70 grams of marijuana, as well as computer equipment and jewelry linked to a string of home robberies in the Marina Alta area.
Investigators also found fake identity documents used by members of the organization. One captured Serbian fugitive allegedly used a police identity to avoid detection and to obtain a phone card outside his home country, highlighting the level of sophistication and deception employed by the group.
The Moraira Civil Guard began the investigation in August of the previous year after neighbors reported possible drug activity at a residence. Early inspections confirmed those concerns, and the operation, dubbed Lake 23, was promoted by the Prosecutor’s Office and overseen by the President of Education Court No. 2. The inquiry involved surveillance and monitoring of suspected buyers, leading to the discovery of as many as eight cocaine and marijuana outlets, some located in unlawfully occupied dwellings used by smugglers.
As the investigation widened, authorities targeted the upper echelon responsible for supplying the retail hotspots. They uncovered that the same network was involved in cultivating cannabis and coordinating its export to overseas markets, including Britain, underscoring a transnational dimension to the operation.
over 150 officers mobilized
The formal phase of the operation began at dawn last Tuesday, with coordinated actions across multiple locations. Moraira was supported by the Terrain Investigations Areas and a range of specialized units, including the Calp, San Vicente, and Torrevieja Civil Guards, the Citizen Security Command Units from Alicante and Torrevieja, and the dog, drug, and money escorts of the Alicante Civil Guard Command. In total, more than 150 officers were involved, resulting in 17 men and 2 women of various nationalities aged 18 to 62 being detained. Cannabis plants were found at sites in San Fulgencio and Elche. The detainees face charges related to public health for marijuana cultivation, drug trafficking, home and vehicle theft, illegal possession of weapons, document tampering, identity theft, and membership in a criminal organization. One detainee from Teulada Moraira had previous involvement with similar actions in 2020.