Police have busted a gang that was allegedly importing cocaine and other drugs into the UK via boxes of frozen broccoli, leading to the arrest of nine British suspects.
Officers in Spain seized two-and-a-half tonnes of cannabis and 187 kilos of cocaine during property searches and a raid on a warehouse in Guadalajara, 40 miles north-east of Madrid.
Footage released by the National Police showed investigators opening the boxes of frozen vegetables to find countless blocks of drugs, such as a type of cannabis labelled Banana Kush.
The successful raid led to several arrests, with seven of the suspects being held in Britain and the other two in Spain, with the force not ruling out that more will be made as their investigation remains open.
The police operation, codenamed Operation Balandro, began more than two years ago and has seen Spain’s National Police working with the UK’s National Crime Agency.
In the first phase of the operation, detectives identified the companies the criminal organisation was using to smuggle the drugs into the UK and the suspects involved in storing and distributing the narcotics.
And after receiving tip offs from Spanish police, UK officers were able to make a number of drug interceptions which enabled detectives to narrow down the number of firms involved.
One of these was a fruit and veg import-export firm based in the province of Guadalajara, which officers detected as being a potential criminal base halfway through this year.
Footage released by the National Police showed investigators opening the boxes of frozen broccoli to find countless blocks of drugs
Officers in Spain seized two-and-a-half tonnes of cannabis and 187 kilos of cocaine during property searches and a raid on a warehouse in Guadalajara 40 miles north-east of Madrid
A number of blocks of cannabis were labelled Banana Kush
In October, officers found out one of the shipments from the this warehouse, consisting of three pallets with boxes of broccoli, had been sent to Manchester.
They also discovered that one of the heads of the criminal organisation had travelled to the city to coordinate its arrival.
While this was happening, two other members of the criminal gang were in Spain preparing a new shipment of boxes of frozen broccoli.
It was this moment that officers decided to act, police said.
A spokesman for the National Police said: ‘Halfway through this year officers detected a new company from which the drugs were being sent, a fruit and veg import-export firm based in the province of Guadalajara.
‘During surveillance work investigators identified the members of the criminal organisation who were going to the warehouse used as a storage facility, where the drug shipments were prepared and hidden inside boxes of broccoli.
‘Detectives also discovered the gang members were staying at a nearby apartment and using rental cars hired by other people.
‘Halfway through October officers found out one of the shipments from the Guadalajara warehouse, consisting of three pallets with boxes of broccoli, had been sent to Manchester and that one of the heads of the criminal organisation had travelled to the city to coordinate its receipt.
In October, officers found out one of the shipments from the this warehouse, consisting of three pallets with boxes of broccoli, had been sent to Manchester
The successful raid led to several arrests, with seven of the suspects being held in Britain and the other two in Spain
‘Meanwhile two members of the organisation who were in Spain began preparing a new shipment of boxes of frozen broccoli.
‘After detecting these activities officers organised an operation in which a total of 400 kilos of cannabis ready to be sent under the guise of a legitimate import was seized and two gang members arrested.
‘The NCA simultaneously seized 600 kilograms of cannabis and arrested seven other members.
‘The operation ended with seven of the nine suspects being remanded in custody, 2,455 kilos of cannabis and 187 kilos of cocaine being seized, along with 590 euros in cash, documents and encrypted telephone terminals.
‘The investigation remains open and further arrests have not been ruled out.’
