Spanish Authorities Discover 12-Meter-Deep Drug Tunnel between Spain and Morocco

ceuta - Spanish security forces uncover a sophisticated drug tunnel between Morocco and the Spanish exclave of Ceuta, leading to arrests of police officers and a politician.

Discovery of Drug Tunnel

Spanish security forces have found a remarkable drug tunnel connecting Morocco to Spanish territory, specifically the exclave of Ceuta. The deep tunnel, believed to have been used by multiple criminal organizations, was utilized to transport drugs from Morocco to the industrial area in Ceuta. The tunnel, reinforced with wood and equipped with lighting, stretches approximately fifty meters to the Moroccan border.

Authorities discovered the tunnel during a series of raids in warehouses within the industrial zone. A narrow opening beneath a hatch revealed a vertical ladder leading to a 12-meter-deep shaft where the underground passage was located. Experts noted the heavy machinery used in the tunnel's construction, reminiscent of methods employed by Mexican drug traffickers.

Suspicions regarding the existence of such a tunnel had long been harbored by Spanish security services. Criminal groups were believed to smuggle large quantities of hashish from Morocco through the tunnel, concealing the drugs in trucks destined for the Spanish mainland. Recent interceptions of drug-laden trucks, including one carrying 3,000 kilos of hashish, further supported these suspicions.

Following Operation Hades, which targeted drug trafficking rings, the Guardia Civil's Subterranean Reconnaissance Unit inspected sewer systems and underground passages in Ceuta using drones. The discovery of an abandoned marble factory housing a hidden passage led to the arrest of 14 individuals, including two Guardia Civil officers and a local parliamentarian, Mohamed Alí Duas. The operation also resulted in the seizure of three trucks containing over 6,000 kilos of hashish concealed in double-bottom compartments.