two and a half tons of marijuana have been seized from a drugs and money laundering network based in Lorca after a months-long investigation which has arrested eight suspects.
Four are Spanish, one is from Morocco, and the remaining three are Italian. One of the Italian suspects is a man who was based in El Garrobillo, near Lorca, with a lengthy record for drug dealing and violent crime both in Italy and in Spain, who is thought to have laundered the proceeds from drug dealing by buying up large areas of land in the area. He had been under investigation since June and was found to be linked to the other suspects who are now in custody as part of the same criminal network.
The Interior Ministry said in a press release on Wednesday that the value of the personal and real estate property seized as part of the joint operation by the Civil Guard, National Police and the Agencia Tributaria Tax Authority amounts to more than 1 million €.