Civil Guard officers suspected of involvement in the theft of almost half a ton of cocaine

Three of the Civil Guard officers suspected of involvement in the theft of almost half a ton of cocaine from Barcelona Port in January 2005 have now been remanded to custody, and it’s understood, according to information from El País newspaper, that another two were released with charges. Also remanded was an ex chief inspector with the National Police. A former Civil Guard who is now a local police officer was granted bail of 3,000 €, the paper said.The charges against them are drug trafficking, corruption, unlawful association, bribery and revealing secret information, and they are believed to have helped a gang to steal the cocaine which was under guard at the port. More than a ton of the drug had come in on a container of frozen prawns, and was seized thanks to information from the US Drug Enforcement Agency.El País said the investigation into the theft reopened recently thanks to information from a reformed criminal. They also note telephone tapping which took place after the theft, and said the gang who stole the drugs knew security would be lax when they arrived at the port to break into the container.