Spanish Civil Guard Seizes 34.5 kg of Hashish in Melilla, Reviving Concerns Over Border Smuggling from Morocco
The Spanish Civil Guard has seized a total of 34.5 kilograms of hashish during three separate operations carried out in the enclave of Melilla, confirming the resurgence of a smuggling method that involves throwing drug packages over the border fence from Morocco, according to Spanish media reports.
One person was arrested for drug trafficking during the operations. A spokesperson from the Melilla command of the Civil Guard stated that the first operation revealed that traffickers are once again using the tactic of tossing drug parcels over the double-layered, ten-meter-high fence separating the two territories in an attempt to smuggle narcotics into Spanish territory.
In the second incident, a patrol near the Temporary Reception Center for Immigrants (CETI) was alerted by a local resident who witnessed a package being thrown over the fence. The patrol discovered a wrapped parcel containing 15 blocks of hashish, weighing a total of 1.5 kilograms. Authorities estimate that this seizure prevented the distribution of approximately 22,000 doses on the illicit market.
In a third case, thanks to public cooperation, 29 kilograms of hashish were found on Horcas Coloradas beach. A citizen reported the presence of a suspicious package on the shore to the Control and Coordination Center (COC). The coastal and border surveillance patrol responded and recovered the package, which was found to contain 254 blocks of hashish. Officials say this seizure blocked the distribution of over 120,000 illicit doses.
Altogether, the three operations led to the seizure of 34.5 kilograms of hashish, preventing an estimated 142,000 doses from reaching the illegal drug market.
Authorities highlight the dismantling of several Morocco-linked drug trafficking networks in recent months across various European countries, particularly in Spain. Morocco remains the world’s leading producer of hashish and a primary source of the drug for the European market.
