Spanish authorities said on Monday they had seized seven tons of cocaine stashed in sea freight containers buried underneath a farm, arresting three suspected smugglers. Police posted video of the seizure, showing officers digging up ground and retrieving dozens of packages containing the alleged drugs.
The Civil Guard police said they launched the operation on Friday when they detected two suspicious speedboats at the mouth of the Guadalquivir River.
The boats were tracked to a rural estate in the municipality of Coria del Rio, south of the city of Seville, where the suspects stored the drugs in two containers hidden underground.
The Civil Guard, which said it was the largest seizure of cocaine smuggled into southern Spain by speedboat, posted video on social media showing officers unearthing the alleged drugs.
They said they impounded three weapons, including an AK-47 assault rifle, and two stolen vehicles.
Spain is one of the main gateways to Europe for international drug traffickers due to its proximity to Morocco, a top cannabis producer, and close ties with former colonies in Latin America.
Last month, Spanish authorities arrested one of its top police officers after 20 million euros were found hidden in the walls of his house, as part of a probe into the country’s largest-ever cocaine bust.
In July, Spain participated in a takedown of a major network transporting Latin American cocaine into Europe by boat, which involved 50 arrests across eight countries. Twenty-six of the detainees were arrested in Spain.
