£8m of cannabis destined for the UK streets seized

20 September 2010

In a joint operation with SOCA and the Middle Market Drugs Partnership (MMDP), Spanish National Police (SNP) intercepted a yacht carrying more than 2.8 tonnes of cannabis on Friday. Had the gang succeeded in selling the cannabis on the UK streets it would have realised around £8m.

The operation targeted a British organised crime group based in Malaga who hired a catamaran, the Cariro 2, to transport the cannabis from Morocco to the UK.

On Friday, armed officers from the SNP boarded the catamaran while it was midway between Morocco and Spain, and apprehended the crew members. Additional arrests were made in Marbella. Three British men and one British woman are now being questioned by Spanish Police, along with three Moroccan men and one Moroccan woman.

Two men from St Leonards-on-Sea in Sussex and a man from Oxshott in Surrey were arrested in the UK under European Arrest Warrants by officers from the MMDP. They are believed to represent the UK distribution end of the group. Approximately half a million pounds in cash was also recovered from the address in Oxshott. They now face extradition to Spain and will appear at Westminster Magistrates Court this week.

Ken Gallagher, head of European operations for SOCA, said: "This operation demonstrates the value of effective partnerships when it comes to protecting the UK. The continued effort to target UK crime groups based overseas is key to ensuring that the UK is not a soft target for drug traffickers."

The huge haul was made up of 2.71 tonnes of cannabis resin and 100 kilos of high grade skunk cannabis.

The MMDP also received assistance from the Sussex police force.