The Civil Guard of the Region of Murcia has developed in Islas Menores-Cartagena the operation ‘Gamechanger’, which has resulted in the arrest of four people who were caught introducing hashish by sea.
In the operation, which is still open, the civil guards have seized one kilogram of hashish – in tablets and acorns -, technological devices and the boat used to transport the drug.
The actions began last October when, thanks to citizen collaboration, the Guardia Civil was alerted to the docking of a pleasure boat in the Islas Menores marina, in the municipality of Cartagena, which generated certain suspicions.
It was the sailors of the yacht club who noticed, at the beginning of their working day, the presence of a boat moored at one of its docks, which gave off a strong smell of cannabis, which did not belong to any member of the port and which had not requested authorisation to dock.
The users of the yacht club informed the civil guards that the boat had arrived the night before with three crew members on board who, after mooring, jumped over the fence of the premises, as it is closed at that time of day. Once outside, they met up with a fourth person who was waiting for them with a van.
The first investigations were carried out in the marina, where the civil guards inspected the boat and found various packages inside it, totalling one kilogramme of hashish hidden next to the rudder, which were seized.
In view of the discovery of the drugs, the Benemérita set up a discreet surveillance system and opened the corresponding investigation. Initially, it was determined that the boat belonged to a British citizen with a record for crimes against public health and that it was carrying a false registration number.
Shortly afterwards, the Civil Guards detected the presence of a car occupied by four people who went to the dock where the drug-related boat was located and stopped next to it.
Two of its occupants entered the boat while the other two walked towards the exit, presumably to keep watch and alert the police presence.
At that moment, the members of the Guardia Civil took the opportunity to approach the four individuals, identify them and arrest them as alleged perpetrators of a crime against public health, for drug trafficking.
In addition to the drugs, the investigators seized the boat where the drugs were found and some technological devices used by the detainees.
The Guardia Civil continues with the investigation to fully clarify the facts. The detainees, the drugs seized, the effects seized and the proceedings have been handed over to the Cartagena Magistrate’s Court.
