Alex Trelinski
A STENCH of marijuana wafting out of an Alicante area warehouse has led to the downfall of a major drugs supply line to Switzerland.
Drugs worth potentially €750,000 on the Swiss black market were seized by the Guardia Civil.
The operation was rumbled after complaints over a strong odour seeping out at an industrial estate in San Vicente del Raspeig.
Guardia Civil agents used their noses to track the smell down to a warehouse which officially was meant to distribute hemp.
Frequent comings and goings at the premises were noted over a week of Guardia surveillance.
Agents sprung into action when a large refrigerated lorry left the premises and they intercepted it.
325 kilos of marijuana was found stuffed into bin bags.
A raid was then mounted on the warehouse as a further 175 kilos of marijuana was seized in addition to a large haul of drug growing equipment.
A search of a car owned by the gang leader uncovered €29,500 crammed into the dashboard.
Five men were arrested, aged between 27 and 49, and of Swiss, Spanish, Dutch, Swedish, and French nationalities.
