Walter Finch
SMUGGLERS who supply fuel to drug boats in Spain will now be punished by up to eight years in prison, following a landmark ruling that ends years of impunity for enabling the trade.
Until now, those caught providing the vital petrol needed to keep high-speed narco boats running often faced only a slap on the wrist.
However, the recent decision has reclassified the illegal supply of fuel as a criminal act, carrying potential prison sentences of between three and eight years.
The decision, by a court in Algeciras, could mark a turning point in the fight against drug trafficking in the Strait of Gibraltar.
Supplying petrol has become a critical logistical component for drug smugglers operating across the Strait, especially as increased police pressure has forced the narcos further offshore or to operate in more remote areas, significantly increasing their fuel demands.
This demand has led to a boom in the dangerous practice of storing and transporting large quantities of petrol in jerrycans.
The court’s ruling came after an Algeciras judge released a suspect without bail who had been arrested with 164 jerrycans (over 5,000 litres) of petrol destined for drug boats.
This case was typical of many arrests where the lack of a specific criminal classification meant offenders often walked free or faced minor penalties.
The offence isn’t restricted just to Spain, either.
Gibraltar customs officers arrested a suspected fuel smuggler following a dramatic high-speed chase near Catalan Bay late last Friday night on March 28.
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The chase began around 11:50 pm after a suspicious rigid-hulled inflatable boat (RHIB) was spotted. HM Customs vessel Searcher gave chase, but the RHIB, reportedly carrying a large shipment of petrol, managed to escape British Gibraltar Territorial Waters.
Shortly before midnight, officers found the suspected smuggler hiding in the Catalan Bay reclamation area, wearing waterproofs and smelling strongly of petrol but carrying no identification.
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