MADRID, Spain: A tunnel in the North African exclave of Ceuta, complete with a rail system and underground cranes used to smuggle hashish from Morocco into Spain, was busted by the Spanish police.
In a statement on March 31, the police said the structure, which was concealed beneath an industrial warehouse, extended over three levels, including a descent shaft, an intermediate chamber for pallet storage, and the tunnel itself.
Spain is one of the main entry points for hashish coming into Europe. Ceuta, along with Melilla, is a Spanish territory in North Africa and forms the European Union's only land border with Africa.
During the operation, authorities seized 17 metric tons of hashish, 1.4 million euros (US$1.6 million) in cash, and arrested 27 people. Police did not say how much the drugs were worth on the street.
Hashish, which comes from cannabis resin, is usually smuggled into Spain by sea using speedboats.
In 2023, Spain was responsible for 68 percent of all hashish seizures in the European Union, according to official data.
Smugglers have also used unusual methods to bring other drugs into Spain. In the northwestern region of Galicia, submarines or semi-submersible vessels have been found carrying cocaine from South America, showing Spain's role as a key transit point for drug trafficking.
