National Police Officers have dismantled an Almoradí-based criminal organisation allegedly dedicated to the production and distribution of large quantities of drugs. In the operation, a clandestine cocaine processing laboratory, which was in full swing with a production capacity of 600 kilograms per month, was dismantled. A total of 30 people have been arrested.
The investigations began in January 2020, when officers learned of the significant movement of chemical substances to the area, whose final destination would be the secret laboratory. The investigation allowed the criminal organisation to be located and identified. The leader is a local resident in Alicante who has a history of drug trafficking and illegal possession of weapons.
After using the chemicals to create the narcotic in the laboratories, another person was then responsible for its distribution to the members in charge of carrying out the sale on a small and medium scale.
The first phase of the distribution chain was investigated using surveillance and a monitoring device placed on a vehicle used by the two main members of the gang in charge of distribution. Using this device, it was possible to detect several places of interest, as well as monitoring appointment with a third unknown individual.
The various security measures the gang members were taking made the officers suspect that they could be carrying out “passes” of narcotic substances and so these movements were controlled. When seized, inside the vehicle the police found 18,120e and 4.2 grams of cocaine, as well as a secret compartment where the drug was hidden until it was needed for a deal. These two individuals were arrested and warrants requested tow search two houses, where a total of approximately 400 grams of cocaine, 486,620e in cash and two high-end vehicles were seized. Three more people were also arrested.
At the same time, it was found that the organisation was stocking up with large quantities of chemical products (precursors), as well as the materials necessary for the laboratory, which was located in Almoradí. The farm location allowed different buildings to be illegally used, whilst giving the false appearance of a mechanical workshop, a horse arena, and a dog and bird farm. In the centre of the farm, an illegal house had been strategically built to be used as a secret laboratory. At all times this was guarded by several gang members, who carried out constant rounds of surveillance, as well as controlling vehicles and people passing through the vicinity.
In one of the walls of the farm, used to hang saddles and other horse riding equipment, was a secret remote controlled door. This gave access to a room that gave the false appearance of a dressing room, where the gang leader had once again installed necessary protection measures in order to be able to access the laboratory. In one of the panels of the changing room, and through another secret security door, a latch was released that allowed gang members to open a door and access the clandestine laboratory, which was in full production process at the time of the police raid. There were around 17 kilograms of cocaine in different stages of processing. More than 3,000 litres of chemical precursors and solid substances were also found for the extraction and alteration of the cocaine base paste and subsequent transformation into cocaine hydrochloride.
At the time of the raid, carried out by the Special Operations Group, four individuals were detained, including two “cooks” who were making the cocaine. Within the framework of this operation, a total of 15 home searches were carried out in different locations in the Valencian Community and Murcia, which have resulted in the dismantling of the laboratory, the seizure of 52 kilograms of cocaine hydrochloride, 20 high-end vehicles, three jet skis, a refrigerated truck, two hand guns and three shotguns, as well as other items. Some 650,000 euros in cash were also seized.
The investigation revealed that this organisation distributed large amounts of cocaine, hashish and marijuana, among other drugs, having a business network to launder the huge amounts of money they obtained from this sale.