Spanish, Moroccan police arrest 30 hashish smugglers

MADRID – Spanish police say 30 drug smugglers have been arrested in raids carried out in co-operation with Morocco to bust a ring that introduced hashish across the Strait of Gibraltar.

A unit of 150 agents raided 21 homes and warehouses in southern Spain early on Sunday. Moroccan police then followed up by capturing the gang’s leader and several other members who had fled from the raids.

Spanish police say they confiscated a ton of hashish, 350,000 euros ($381,000) in cash, three small boats and several firearms.

The gang, called “The Chestnuts” (“Las Castanas” in Spanish), was made up of Spaniards and Moroccans. It used small inflatable boats with powerful motors to smuggle the drugs into Spain from Morocco, according to police.