Simon Wade
HUGE quantities of weapons and marijuana destined for the Costa Blanca and Costa del Sol have been intercepted by Spanish and Dutch National Police.
An Indian food business was being used by the smugglers to transport arms and drugs throughout Europe.
The contraband was hidden among Asian spices with similar characteristics to the cannabis leaf.
Sources say the Amsterdam-based gang made frequent trips to Spain in heavy trucks, with 250kg of marijuana seized in the latest operation.
The gang assumed the strong smell of the Indian spices would hide the unique aroma of the drug.
In total, the combined task force intercepted three shipments destined for the lucrative markets along Spain’s southern coast.
Three arrests were made in Alicante and another three in Amsterdam, with 13 more in various warehouses in and around the Dutch capital.
Authorities seized four handguns. two AK47 assault rifles, €672,000 in cash, 11 high-end cars and a five-axle truck with a load capacity of 36 tonnes.
Police aren’t ruling out more arrests, as investigations continue with a view to dismantling the entire organisation.
