A joint operation between the Ertzaintza and the Civil Guard has ended with a dismantled criminal organization, six people arrested and a huge amount of narcotic substances seized: up to 270 kilos of drugs, valued on the illegal market at more than 17 million euros. Weapons, high-end vehicles and 78,000 euros in cash have also been confiscated.
The operation, called 'Qilab/Arizko', has been coordinated by the Intelligence Center against Terrorism and Organized Crime (CITCO) and 12 searches have been carried out in homes and storage rooms in Bizkaia, Álava and Cantabria. In total, a total of 58 kilograms of cocaine, 12 of speed, 176 of marijuana, 24 of hashish and 6,310 ecstasy pills have been seized.
During the operation, more than 78,000 euros in cash, two shotguns, two blank pistols, two high-end vehicles, precursors for the adulteration of cocaine and speed, mobile phones and computer equipment, as well as various documentation for its analysis and study.
According to official sources, the operation began in April, after the arrest in Calahorra (La Rioja) of an individual in possession of nine kilos of "highly pure" speed. The investigators of the Organic Unit of the Judicial Police of the Civil Guard of La Rioja managed, after the first investigations, to establish the link between the seized speed and a criminal organization based in the Basque Country.
In this way, the Civil Guard verified that the Ertzaintza also had an investigation open on these people, for which it was agreed to carry out a joint operation and inform the competent court.
After the analysis of the information collected by both police forces, it was possible to verify the existence of the criminal organization with base of operations in Barakaldo and Gamiz-Fika (Bizkaia), which is dedicated to drug trafficking, specifically cocaine, speed, hashish, marijuana and ecstasy pills.
The details of the operation have been released this Wednesday at a press conference that took place in Logroño (La Rioja) where the Government delegate in La Rioja, Beatriz Arraiz, has underlined "the excellent coordination" between both security forces of the country that have made it possible to "deal one of the most important blows to drug trafficking in northern Spain.
Most of those arrested have a record for drug trafficking and are between the ages of 30 and 73, participants in the crimes of belonging to a criminal organization, drug trafficking, money laundering and illegal possession of weapons, as indicated in the appearance.
The organization, with a solid and well-structured hierarchy, had perfectly defined roles to carry out the acquisition of huge amounts of drugs, their transportation, concealment, adulteration, and subsequent distribution.
Its five members adopted strong security measures to avoid being discovered, through surveillance, counter-surveillance and the use of shuttle vehicles. In addition, they had firearms to prevent and neutralize a possible assault by another criminal network or the actions of the security forces.
These actions allowed them to "organise, face and successfully complete drug trafficking operations from the Basque Country to neighboring communities and provinces in the north of Spain, to supply other criminal echelons that lead to the final consumer, retain their clientele, expand business and increase distribution.
The investigation allowed that, after several months, sufficient evidence and indications were gathered to corroborate that the people investigated were related to continued large-scale drug trafficking, for which the corresponding judicial authorizations were requested to carry out the entries. and records of places of interest.
After completing the investigation of the police proceedings, the detainees were transferred to La Rioja to be made available to the Judicial Authority, which ordered the admission of all of them to prison. In the exploitation phase, the intervention units and canine guides of the Civil Guard and the Ertzaintza have collaborated.
