At least six police officers have been injured following a dramatic car chase with a French drug cartel in Cadiz.
The Policia Nacional, working alongside France’s anti-drugs agency Office Anti-Stupéfiants, dismantled the gang that used a logistics base in Arcos de la Frontera to store and transport hashish.
Seven people have been arrested in the operation, including three in Spain who have already been remanded in custody.
According to police, the investigation began in early April following a European Investigation Order issued from Lyon, after authorities uncovered evidence of an international hashish trafficking network operating from Spain.
Officers discovered the gang was using two so-called ‘guarderias’ (stash houses) located in Arcos in Cadiz and Fornells de la Selva in Girona, far in the north of Spain.
The organisation allegedly stored large quantities of hashish in Cadiz before moving it north in specially modified vehicles fitted with hidden compartments. The drugs were then destined for France.
The operation turned violent on April 10 when officers detected a high-end vehicle leaving the Arcos property at speed.
Police believe the car was acting as a lookout vehicle, carrying out counter-surveillance to detect police presence along the route.
Shortly afterwards, officers stopped a second vehicle carrying two suspects. Instead of stopping, the occupants rammed a police car, destroying both vehicles before attempting to flee on foot.
The suspects were eventually arrested, but six police officers suffered injuries during the incident.
Inside the vehicle, officers found 15 hessian-wrapped bundles containing around 400kg of hashish.
Police later searched the gang’s Girona stash house, where they seized a further 155kg of hashish, a cash-counting machine, ammunition, a handgun and two assault rifles ready to fire.
Three luxury vehicles were also confiscated.
The suspects face charges including drug trafficking, membership of a criminal organisation, assaulting police officers, handling stolen goods, document forgery and causing injuries.
French authorities also arrested four additional members of the network in parallel operations across France.
Police say the investigation remains ongoing and further arrests have not been ruled out.
Read more Andalucia news at the Spanish Eye.
