Date Published: 22/05/2020
ARCHIVED - Major Mar Menor drugs ring busted in san Javier and san Pedro del Pinatar
ARCHIVED ARTICLE Those arrested will also be fined for breaching the lockdown and selling drugs during a state of emergency
The Civil Guard of the Region of Murcia has successfully concluded Operation 'Lodon', an investigation into drug trafficking in the Mar Menor area, which has resulted in 14 arrests for allegedly cultivating, processing and trafficking drugs, stealing electricity, illegal occupation of dwellings, serious civil disobedience, and membership of a criminal organization. Four of the arrested have been immediately imprisoned.
The gang members all belonged to the same family and grew marijuana inside several different houses, connecting illegally to the electricity network in order to maintain their indoor plantations. They also distributed other narcotic substances; during the simultaneous raids on 10 properties carried out in San Javier (8) and San Pedro del Pinatar (2), 325 ripe cannabis sativa plants, cocaine, heroin and hashish, were all recovered along with 2,000 euros in cash, three stolen cars and the necessary supplies and equipment for the cultivation and distribution of the drugs.
Numerous illicit objects have also been recovered, allegedly from theft and associated with the trafficking of narcotic substances, some of which have been identified and returned to their rightful owners.
The operation began a year ago, when the Civil Guard detected activity in several retail drug outlets of different homes in the municipality of San Javier, and a vigilance operation was established to identify the reach and scale of the operation.
During the last year all members of the criminal network were identified and sufficient proof of their activities gathered to build a case, establishing that all members came from the same family, based in the Mar Menor, which sold narcotic substances in the region and neighbouring provinces.
Having gathered sufficient proof, all ten dwellings were raided simultaneously, with 100 officers taking part in the operation.
The nine men and five women, aged between 18 and 65, residents of the municipalities of San Javier and San Pedro del Pinatar have been assigned to Investigating Court number 1 of San Javier (Murcia), which immediately sent four of those arrested, who have a long criminal record for crimes against property and drug trafficking, to prison.
Some of the group will also face charges of failing to abide by the mobility regulations decreed in the current state of alarm and continuing their illicit activities during lockdown; fortunately all documented during the police vigilance operation.
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