The Guardia Civil have arrested nineteen people as part of Operation Ygara. They are all said to belong to an international organisation trafficking hashish in the Mediterranean. As well as the arrests, a yacht with 5.1 tonnes of hash has been seized.
Twenty addresses in parts of Barcelona, Girona and Pontevedra were raided and searched. During these searches, a vehicle which had been stolen in Marseille in November was discovered. The registration plates had been falsified, and the vehicle was being used by one of the gang's leaders, who had established a marijuana plantation at his home.
The organisation's activities ranged from parts of the mainland to north Africa and further south in Africa, e.g. Senegal. They also embraced Las Palmas in the Canaries.
The Guardia's operation started last year, when a yacht in Palma was identified as having been used to transport drugs. The existence of a criminal structure was verified, and police cooperation included authorities in Italy and Senegal.
When the yacht with the hash was intercepted, three crew were arrested - two Colombians and the Spanish skipper. It was heading for Senegal, and when the crew became aware of Senegalese forces and the Guardia Civil's maritime service, the crew tried to get rid of the drug cargo.