Toledo.- The delegate of the Government of Spain in Castilla-La Mancha, Milagros Tolón, today reported on an operation of the Civil Guard in Toledo against an international drug trafficking organization that has resulted in the arrest of 38 people. Press conference in which he was accompanied by the deputy delegate of the Government in the province, Carlos Ángel Devia, and the head of the Command of the Civil Guard of Toledo, Colonel José María Gil Closet.
Operation Wand
Milagros Tolón has pointed out that the beginning of this operation, “called Varita, began several months ago when the Civil Guard detected shipments of illicit substances through parcel companies, some within Spain, but above all and mainly to European countries. Continuing with the investigations, it was verified that behind the shipments there was an international organization, with ramifications in numerous countries of destination of the drug.”
At the first level of the organization, explained the delegate of the Government, “there were people who took the drug packages to the different transport companies. The agents were able to track the vehicles in which these people traveled by locating the places where the packages were prepared. While the second step was in charge of camouflaging the drug in the packages with sophisticated vacuum packaging systems to cancel the smell.”
Likewise, “the agents identified the highest level members within the organization, responsible for collecting drug shipments in the various European countries. To do this, they made constant lightning trips, in which they traveled to those countries from different Spanish airports.”
High standard of living
Milagros Tolón said that in these trips “they were responsible for collecting amounts ranging from 10,000 to 15,000 euros in cash and that they brought in hand luggage. Likewise, one of the main leaders of drug trafficking was identified, a person who led a high standard of living and ran a grow shop (an establishment dedicated to the legal sale of cannabis-related products) in a town of Toledo, together with his romantic partner, as a cover for his criminal activities.”
As a result of international collaboration with European police, the government delegate noted, “numerous shipments were detected to European countries such as Poland, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Slovakia, Italy, Greece, Sweden and France. In addition, drug seizures have been made in Poland or Germany, and an arrest in the German country following a delivery of a suspicious package containing marijuana.”
In Spain, during the course of the investigation several seizures of drugs have been made in Barcelona and Toledo.
Arrest of one of the main culprits
Milagros Tolón has highlighted that the first phase of exploitation “was carried out in October in Numancia de la Sagra, Carranque, Yuncos and Yunsouls, where seven searches were carried out in homes and an industrial building with the detention of 15 people. In successive days, another 13 people were arrested.
While the second phase took place in mid-November with six people detained in Huecas, Illescas and Parla. It highlights the arrest of a man considered one of the main culprits of the criminal organization, in charge of collecting money in the countries to which the drug was sent.”
From Spain and North Africa to Europe
Already in the third phase, “which was carried out at the end of February in the Madrid towns of El Pardo and Villaverde, and in Yeles and Numancia de la Sagra, in Toledo, four searches and three arrests were made. One of the detainees was responsible for sending drugs to several countries, including Sweden.”
In conclusion, “the Civil Guard has arrested 38 people belonging to an international criminal organization dedicated to drug trafficking from Spain and North Africa to countries in Europe. From the investigations carried out, agents have been able to verify shipments of more than 5.5 tons of marijuana and hashish to 11 European countries.”
In several records, the government delegate said, “346 kilos of marijuana and hashish prepared for sale have been intervened and 6 high-yield indoor plantations have been dismantled. We have also intervened 2 firearms, cartridges, 2 simulated short weapons, 2 white weapons, almost 33,000 euros in cash, a vehicle, high-end watches, beacons and mobiles, among other objects.”
They are charged with several crimes
The detainees are charged with crimes of criminal organization, drug trafficking, money-laundering, electric fluid fraud, cultivation and processing of narcotic substances and usurpation of housing.
The investigation has been carried out by the Civil Guard of the Toledo Command (specifically: the Organized Crime and Anti-Drug Team of the Organic Judicial Police Unit and the Detachment of Prosecutor and Borders) with the support of the Technical Unit of the Judicial Police of Madrid, which has facilitated international police cooperation.
In the three phases, several units of the Civil Guard have collaborated, such as the Reserve and Security Group of Madrid; Citizen Security Units of Madrid, Albacete, Ciudad Real and Guadalajara, and the Cinological Service and Citizen Security of Toledo.
Congratulations to the work of the Civil Guard
Finally, Milagros Tólon has shown “my congratulations to the agents who have made it possible for our province, our region and our country to be safer thanks to the dismantling of this criminal network.”
Likewise, “it should be noted that the success of this operation is based on the professionalism of the Civil Guard and also on the collaboration between the units and international cooperation, since in this case the investigations have been carried out with the participation of Europol”.
Because “for the Government of Spain security is a priority that in Castilla-La Mancha is concretized with an increase in resources and staffing. Since 2018, the increase in Civil Guard staff in Castilla-La Mancha has been 7 percent, and in the coming months we expect the incorporation of more agents as a result of the offer of public employment that includes more than 2,700 Civil Guard places for all of Spain.”