Network that camouflaged 200 kilos of cocaine in a move was arrested

In a joint operation by international security forces, the National Police has dismantled a criminal network that used moving furniture to traffic cocaine. The criminals camouflaged up to 200 kilograms of cocaine inside furniture sent from Panama to the Port of Valencia in a false move. The operation to arrest the traffickers ended with the arrest of five individuals and a chase, during which the drug traffickers rammed police vehicles in a desperate attempt to escape.

The investigation dates back to the beginning of July, when the authorities received alerts about the possible arrival at the port of Valencia of a “suspicious shipment” inside a container from Panama. The camouflaged shipment of cocaine was destined for a moving and furniture storage company near Valencia. The move arrived at the Port of Valencia on July 30 and just four days later, the furniture from the fake move that hid the cocaine was delivered to the facilities of the Valencian moving and furniture storage company.

The clues led the agents to intensify surveillance of the aforementioned Valencia company, and their suspicions were confirmed when, the day before the arrests, several individuals tried unsuccessfully to steal the furniture that contained the cocaine, thus confirming the existence of a criminal organization.

The high point of the operation took place on August 21, when those investigated, aboard a moving van and a car, were heading from Valencia to Madrid with the merchandise hidden in the furniture for subsequent distribution and sale. During the journey, the band members used various maneuvers and stops to detect possible police surveillance, even throwing their mobile phones out the window as a security measure.

Given the increasing difficulty of following the suspects, the agents decided to intervene and stop them. However, the detainees did not give up and began a violent escape, trying to ram a police vehicle in the process. Finally, the agents managed to intercept the drug traffickers' vehicles and proceeded to arrest them.

Inside the fake moving furniture camouflaged with insulating foam, investigators found a total of 200 kilograms of cocaine, divided into 185 bricks. In addition to the drugs, 550 euros in cash, the two vehicles used in illegal transport and two mobile phones were seized.

The five detainees, accused of a crime against public health and belonging to a criminal group, represent an international network, with two of those arrested being Panamanian nationals, another two Egyptians and one Pakistani. Those involved will now face a judicial process to answer for their actions and face the corresponding legal sanctions. This successful operation is an example of effective cooperation between international security forces in the fight against drug trafficking.