The Spanish Civil Guard and the National Police, within the framework of the joint operation “Itálica 153 Legs/Avant”, have dismantled a criminal organization dedicated to the acquisition, distribution and sale of narcotic substances.
The operation resulted in the arrest of 17 people and the seizure of a total of 3,370 kilograms of hashish and 288 kilograms of cocaine. Authorities also seized six weapons of war, including four Skorpion submachine guns, each equipped with a silencer, and two AK-47 assault rifles, all with ammunition.
Furthermore, the investigation has been able to demonstrate that the network managed to move an approximate volume of 285 bales, containing about 9,400 kilograms of hashish, between the months of October 2025 and January 2026.
The investigations by the National Police and the Civil Guard began independently, although, as a result of the effective coordination of both police forces, both lines of investigation were merged, thus making it possible to identify all the members of the criminal group and find out their specific roles.
A criminal organization based in Seville
The criminal organization, perfectly structured and hierarchical, had its main base in the province of Seville, with various operational branches in Málaga, Huelva, and Cádiz. In these locations, they had logistical infrastructure used as drug storage facilities or “nurseries,” as well as delivery points known as “drop boxes.”
Their “modus operandi” was notable for the systematic use of vehicles in shuttle roles, whose purpose was to detect police operational devices in advance and guarantee the safety of the cargo vehicle to its final destination.
Given the high mobility and itinerant nature of the suspects, investigators were forced to expedite the first phase of the operation during one of the illicit drug shipments. This tactical maneuver allowed for the simultaneous interception of the targets in the provinces of Almería, Murcia, and Seville.
Among the seizures that make up the total amount of drugs seized during the investigation, the most notable were the confiscations of 500 kilograms of hashish in the town of Jerez de la Frontera (Cádiz) and another 720 kilograms of the same substance in the province of Burgos.
The operation has been developed and executed jointly by the Organized Crime and Anti-Drug Team of the Civil Guard of Seville, the Organized Crime Section of the UDYCO Costa del Sol of Malaga and the GRECO of Cadiz, belonging to the Central Brigade of Judicial Police of the National Police.