AN EAST European and Spanish gang that used its own international transport firm to smuggle cigarettes and laughing gas within legal cargo has been busted by the Policia Nacional.
Six people have been arrested in the Alicante province town of Muro de Alcoy along with the truck company owner in Malaga.
Five out of the group have been placed into pre-trial detention.
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A joint operation between the Policia Nacional and customs officers started in May to bring down the gang.
After several months of surveillance, officers in September intercepted a lorry in Muro de Alcoy which was being unloaded by several members of the crew.
They found 10 pallets with 128,000 packets of smuggled tobacco that had a market value of €753,466- representing a tax fraud of over €575,000.
Meanwhile in Malaga, the owner of the lorries used by the organisation was arrested.
A search of his home and a warehouse uncovered 2,592 bottles of laughing gas totalling 5,184 litres.
In addition €2,100 in cash and €40,000in counterfeit banknotes have been seized.
Inquiries revealed the gang made legal transportation to France and other European countries which made it difficult to find out what they were up.
Officers observed- through a series of surveillance devices- that they concealed the smuggled goods with legitimate merchandise.
The police operation remains active to find out where the goods came from and also whether the transport company had other international criminal links.
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