CAPE CITIUS

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Nine people arrested for involvment of cocaine shipment

Nine people were arrested on Jan 8, 2025, for their alleged involvement in a shipment of 1,100 kilos of cocaine found in a container in the port of Vigo. They have been brought before the city's investigating court number 4, which is in charge of coordinating the investigations. Among the detainees, of Albanian and Belgian nationality, wee those who allegedly intended to take control of the drugs. The detainees arrived at the City of Justice in Vigo around 10:00 a.m. in National Police vans, accompanied by a large security force that included the presence of agents in the court building. The operation that led to these arrests was carried out jointly by the National Police and the Customs Surveillance Service. The drugs, hidden in a container of fruit that had arrived from Ecuador, were found on board the 'Cape Citius'. After the inspection in the port of Vigo, the ship resumed its course towards Malaga. According to police hypotheses, the suspects were in Vigo to collect the shipment, which had been introduced into the container using the technique known as “blind hook.” This method consists of hiding the drug in the middle of legitimate cargo, such as fruit, without the knowledge of the legal persons responsible for the container or the ship's carrier. On the other hand, investigators are also trying to determine possible links between this shipment and other recent seizures of cocaine. In December, Ecuadorian authorities had intercepted more than 1,200 kilos of cocaine in the port of Guayaquil. The drug, hidden in a container of tuna cans, was destined for the port of Vigo. On that occasion, the agents found 23 black plastic packages containing 1,264 packets of narcotics. In addition, at the beginning of December, 500 kilos of cocaine were seized in another container in the port of Vigo, transported by the ‘Izmit Express’, which had departed from Cartagena de Indias, Colombia. In the previous weeks, the captain of the ship had discovered an additional 23 kilos of cocaine hidden in the holds. The connection with other international seizures is also under analysis. In October, a shipment of 13 tons of cocaine was intercepted in the port of Algeciras, hidden among bananas that came from Ecuador. Meanwhile, in a previous operation, 100 kilos of cocaine were located in an air container in Fuenlabrada, Madrid, linked to an international organization made up of Albanian, Colombian, Moroccan and European citizens. Report with photos: https://enfoques.gal/galicia/comparecen-ante-el-juez-los-detenidos-por-el-alijo-de-cocaina-en-vigo/