Underground Network: Ceuta's Drug-Smuggling Tunnel Unveiled

Spanish police uncovered a sophisticated drug-smuggling tunnel in Ceuta, equipped with a rail system and cranes, linking Morocco to Spain. Authorities seized 17 metric tons of hashish, €1.4 million, and arrested 27 people. Spain remains a major entry point for hashish, marking a key role in drug transit.

Spanish police have uncovered a highly sophisticated drug-smuggling tunnel in the North African exclave of Ceuta, complete with a rail system and underground cranes. This tunnel facilitated the transport of hashish from Morocco into Spain. Officials reported on Tuesday that the tunnel was ingeniously concealed beneath an industrial warehouse, extending over three levels with a descent shaft, an intermediate storage chamber for pallets, and the tunnel itself.

Spain serves as a major entry point for hashish into Europe. The exclaves of Ceuta and Melilla uniquely form the European Union's only land borders with Africa. Authorities seized 17 metric tons of hashish, €1.4 million in cash, and carried out 27 arrests related to this sophisticated operation. However, police withheld the street value of the seized haul.

Hashish, derived from cannabis resin, is typically trafficked into Spain via speedboats. In 2023, Spain accounted for 68% of all resin seizures within the EU, according to the latest data. To illustrate the country's significant role as a drug transit hub, in Galicia, submarines and semi-submersible vessels are occasionally found transporting cocaine from South America.

(With inputs from agencies.)