Drug Smugglers Caught Dressed as Port Workers in Algeciras

Spanish authorities became suspicious when they detected a jet ski moving near the containerships in the Port of Algeciras. They reported that the operation caught three individuals in the act of attempting to offload 50 kilos of cocaine while disguised as port workers.

European law enforcement agencies have warned that the smuggling operations were attempting to infiltrate port operations. Sometimes they plant individuals who are legitimate employees or bribe port workers, but in this case they attempted to disguise themselves as port workers.

Officers from Guardia Civil, Customs Surveillance, and the Tax Agency were working together to monitor activity in the port and began to track the movements of the jet ski. It was observed approaching the dock where an unnamed containership was alongside, carrying out container loading.

Two individuals got off the jet ski wearing clothing similar to the dockworkers in an apparent effort to blend in with the operations. They were successful in approaching and boarding the containership while being watched by the officers.

The police decided to move in and took the two individuals into custody while they were still aboard the vessel. They began a search of the ship and discovered two backpacks that they believed were removed from a container and which the smugglers were preparing to carry off the ship. The smugglers apparently detected the officers and attempted to hide the backpacks before they were apprehended.

A search of the backpacks revealed 50 packages, each with 1 kilo of cocaine. The police set the total value of the drugs at more than €1.5 million.

A third suspect was apprehended with the jet ski. The investigation later confirmed that the jet ski had been stolen a few hours earlier in La Línea de la Concepción.

This seizure came just days after the police reported catching another smuggler attempting to bring 1.5 tons of cocaine through the port at Valencia. As part of the surveillance operation, the police are using a technically equipped “Medusa” van that permits them to quickly X-ray vehicles coming off the ferries from Ibiza. They said smugglers are frequently using the Balearic Islands as a route for staging shipments into Europe.

The targeted van was X-rayed, and the contents did not match the declaration for its cargo. The police proceeded to open and search the van and found, concealed behind a screen near the door, packages holding 1,420 cocaine pills. A Romanian who was driving the van was also taken into custody.