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22-08-2023, 07:45 PM
Radio Sintonia:
International criminal drug trafficking organization dismantled in the Canary Islands.
The Civil Guard, in the framework of what has been called Operation Adriatic, has dismantled an international criminal organization, which would be responsible for the introduction of large consignments of cocaine through the Canary Islands.
The investigation began in March 2022 when the Central Operational Unit (UCO) focused it on a Polish-flagged sailboat called ROSSIO, which would have established its temporary base on the island of Gran Canaria and on which, through exchanges of information with the Croatian Police, it was suspected that it could be used to transport cocaine from South America.
"'Ndrangheta and Balkan Cartel' From that moment, they began to monitor the activities of the crew, two Italian citizens linked to the '
Ndrangheta and a Croat closely linked to the "Balkan Cartel". During the following months, it was possible to verify how these people, without exercising any type of professional activity, were able to maintain a high standard of living, dedicating themselves exclusively to keep the sailboat in optimal condition, making small sporadic departures, thus trying to show an apparent normality.
Thus, it was not until July 27, 2023, when an unusual trip was detected in which the ROSSIO sailboat, with the two Italian crew on board, began sailing westwards, traveling more than 750 NM, in an itinerary surrounding the Canary Islands that had its destination in an isolated point of the Atlantic Ocean and from which it began its return on August 2.
Boarding at 500 NM northwest of Gran Canaria
Three days later, specifically on August 5, the sailboat was boarded at a distance of approximately 500 NM northwest of the island of Gran Canaria, finding inside numerous packages that threw a final weight of 700 kg of cocaine.
This action was carried out by members of the Special Intervention Unit (UEI) with the support of the vessel "Rio Guadiato" of the Maritime Service, as well as an aircraft of the Air Service of the Civil Guard.
At the same time, in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria there was the arrest of the Croatian and a Serbian citizen who would be coordinating the operation from land and who at the time of the arrest carried the telephones from which they would give the instructions to the crew.
International cocaine trafficking routes around the Canary Islands
This investigation corroborates the stability over time of large European criminal organizations, which are able to deploy their personnel in different locations for long periods of time, and the geostrategic importance of the Canary Islands
in maritime drug trafficking.
The Police operation has been carried out by the Central Operational Unit of the Civil Guard (Central Anti-Drug Group and ECO Canarias) and coordinated by EUROPOL, together with the Police of Croatia, Serbia and the Antimafia Investigation Directorate of Palermo in Italy. Various units of the Civil Guard participated in the approach: Special Intervention Unit (UEI), Provincial Maritime Service of Tenerife, Air Service, as well as personnel of the investigation unit, having been coordinated by the Technical Unit of the Judicial Police (UTPJ), by the Coordination Center for the Maritime Surveillance of Coasts and Borders (CECORVIGMAR) and by the General Staff of the Civil Guard. Likewise, there was support from personnel from the Commanderies of Santa Cruz de Tenerife and Las Palmas.
The Court of Instruction No. 1 of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria has directed the same, having decreed unconditional imprisonment for all detainees.
International criminal drug trafficking organization dismantled in the Canary Islands.
The Civil Guard, in the framework of what has been called Operation Adriatic, has dismantled an international criminal organization, which would be responsible for the introduction of large consignments of cocaine through the Canary Islands.
The investigation began in March 2022 when the Central Operational Unit (UCO) focused it on a Polish-flagged sailboat called ROSSIO, which would have established its temporary base on the island of Gran Canaria and on which, through exchanges of information with the Croatian Police, it was suspected that it could be used to transport cocaine from South America.
"'Ndrangheta and Balkan Cartel' From that moment, they began to monitor the activities of the crew, two Italian citizens linked to the '
Ndrangheta and a Croat closely linked to the "Balkan Cartel". During the following months, it was possible to verify how these people, without exercising any type of professional activity, were able to maintain a high standard of living, dedicating themselves exclusively to keep the sailboat in optimal condition, making small sporadic departures, thus trying to show an apparent normality.
Thus, it was not until July 27, 2023, when an unusual trip was detected in which the ROSSIO sailboat, with the two Italian crew on board, began sailing westwards, traveling more than 750 NM, in an itinerary surrounding the Canary Islands that had its destination in an isolated point of the Atlantic Ocean and from which it began its return on August 2.
Boarding at 500 NM northwest of Gran Canaria
Three days later, specifically on August 5, the sailboat was boarded at a distance of approximately 500 NM northwest of the island of Gran Canaria, finding inside numerous packages that threw a final weight of 700 kg of cocaine.
This action was carried out by members of the Special Intervention Unit (UEI) with the support of the vessel "Rio Guadiato" of the Maritime Service, as well as an aircraft of the Air Service of the Civil Guard.
At the same time, in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria there was the arrest of the Croatian and a Serbian citizen who would be coordinating the operation from land and who at the time of the arrest carried the telephones from which they would give the instructions to the crew.
International cocaine trafficking routes around the Canary Islands
This investigation corroborates the stability over time of large European criminal organizations, which are able to deploy their personnel in different locations for long periods of time, and the geostrategic importance of the Canary Islands
in maritime drug trafficking.
The Police operation has been carried out by the Central Operational Unit of the Civil Guard (Central Anti-Drug Group and ECO Canarias) and coordinated by EUROPOL, together with the Police of Croatia, Serbia and the Antimafia Investigation Directorate of Palermo in Italy. Various units of the Civil Guard participated in the approach: Special Intervention Unit (UEI), Provincial Maritime Service of Tenerife, Air Service, as well as personnel of the investigation unit, having been coordinated by the Technical Unit of the Judicial Police (UTPJ), by the Coordination Center for the Maritime Surveillance of Coasts and Borders (CECORVIGMAR) and by the General Staff of the Civil Guard. Likewise, there was support from personnel from the Commanderies of Santa Cruz de Tenerife and Las Palmas.
The Court of Instruction No. 1 of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria has directed the same, having decreed unconditional imprisonment for all detainees.