ORANGE YOU GLAD THEY WERE BUSTED

Spanish police smash drugs gang that hid cannabis in orange crates and smuggled it into Britain

Vans raided in Malaga and Seville were carrying over 1,000kg of the illegal drug into the UK

Published: 3:56, 27 Oct 2016
Updated: 4:44, 27 Oct 2016

A GANG which smuggled drugs into Britain in crates of oranges has been smashed by police.

Raids were held in Malaga and Seville, southern Spain, after a van carrying more than 1,000kg of cannabis was stopped at a motorway checkpoint.

The Spanish Civil Guard has dismantled a drugs gang smuggling cannabis into the UK — The Spanish Civil Guard has dismantled a drugs gang smuggling cannabis into the UKCredit: Solarpix

The criminals hid cannabis in cargoes of oranges destined for Britain — The criminals hid cannabis in cargoes of oranges destined for BritainCredit: Solarpix

The innermost crates in a stack would contain hidden cannabis while the outer ones would just contain oranges - making sniffer dog detection more difficult — The innermost crates in a stack would contain hidden cannabis while the outer ones would just contain oranges - making sniffer dog detection more difficultCredit: Solarpix

The gang set up two import-export firms and hid drugs inside vacuum-packed containers in the middle of the cargoes.

The rest of the cargo was filled with normal orange crates.

Guardia Civil officers arrested 18 people, including Algerian, Paraguayan, French and Portuguese nationals.

Police seized drugs and cash found during the raid — Police seized drugs and cash found during the raidCredit: Solarpix

The drugs were transported under the cover of two import-export firms set up by the gang — The drugs were transported under the cover of two import-export firms set up by the gangCredit: Solarpix

The confiscated oranges have been sent to food banks — The confiscated oranges have been sent to food banksCredit: Solarpix

related stories

Street Cat Named Bob got me through drug addiction and homelessness... now he's bought me a house with new film

CAT IS MAN'S BEST FRIEND

Street Cat Named Bob got me through drug addiction and homelessness... now he's bought me a house with new film

Charity shop loses £10,000 after secret drug den discovered in the flat above causes ceiling to collapse

Charity shop loses £10,000 after secret drug den discovered in the flat above causes ceiling to collapse

What is the dark web? From drugs and guns to contract killers and kidnappings

What is the dark web? From drugs and guns to contract killers and kidnappings

Jeremy Kyle FLOORED by two drug addict sisters during furious on air fight

'I got flattened'

Jeremy Kyle FLOORED by two drug addict sisters during furious on air fight

A spokesman said: “Their way of working made detection by sniffer dogs more difficult.”

The oranges confiscated have been sent to local food banks so they can handed to the poor and needy.

Topics

Spain