The National Police have arrested two women and a man between 37 and 58 years old in Elx for allegedly belonging to a "very active and organized" family clan dedicated to the sale of cocaine. Those arrested bought 197 Christmas lottery tickets, presumably with the money obtained from drug sales, with the aim of laundering it by obtaining a prize.
After an investigation of several months, due to the strict security measures adopted by this family clan, agents from the narcotics group at the Elx police station carried out three home searches until this retail cocaine sales point was dismantled, reports Jefatura.
The operation began after learning that cocaine was being trafficked in some homes in the Patilla neighborhood of Elx. The Police explain that there was a "feeling of insecurity" among the neighbors, due to the continuous movement of people, most of them drug addicts, when there was some theft or robbery in vehicles.
The suspects had three adjoining homes connected by the interior. From one they sold cocaine directly at retail, while the other two used them for the logistics of storing the drugs and money.
To make police action difficult in the event of a search, this family clan refilled small quantities of drugs in the home from which they carried out the sale. In addition, they periodically collected the money obtained from drug sales, so that there was always a small amount of cocaine and money, but not in excess.
In the three searches, the police seized 16 grams of cocaine prepared in various doses for sale, 6,320 euros in cash, useful for handling and selling drugs, and 197 lottery tickets to launder money.
They also found a large quantity of cosmetics, bottles of alcoholic beverages, bottles of oil with their original seals and items of certain value supposedly stolen by drug addicts in establishments to deliver to drug sellers in exchange for doses.
Members of the family clan were arrested for the crimes of drug trafficking and membership in a criminal group. The three detainees, of Spanish nationality, were placed at the disposal of the investigating court acting as guard in Elx.
