PALMA
A total of 7.5 tons of hashish were burnt yesterday at the Son Reus incineration plant on the outskirts of Palma.
The drug was seized in different operations by the local police on the coast at Portocolom and in the port of San Telmo.
The Spanish Government's Delegate to the islands, Ramon Socias, speaking yesterday morning at Son Reus, said that this was a fight between good and evil, referring to the work by the security forces to stop drug trafficking on the islands.
During the first week of November, customs officers seized three tons of hashish on the coast at Portocolom.
However, they could not arrest the crew of the boat which brought it here due to the speed of the launch.
During the early hours of November 9, the Guardia Civil intercepted another 4.5 tons of hashish when the smugglers unloaded it in the Majorcan port of San Telmo.
Socias congratulated the officers for their work in the interception of both quantities of the drug, while he thanked the Council of Majorca for being able to burn the drug in the Son Reus incinerator. Also present was the Council of Majorca's councillor for the Environment, Catalina Julve. Socias referred to the damaging effects on health which the consumption of drugs has.
He also referred to the drug traffickers and warned them that in the Balearic islands the public order forces will continue to supply all resources to win this battle against drug trafficking, which is difficult, complicated and long. The adversary, said Socias, employs more and more sophisticated means to escape detection and arrest by the police.
In fact, the boat intercepted in Portocolom was powered by four 250 horsepower engines so it was very much faster that the boats used by the security forces.