The narco trafficking trail by land in the province of Cádiz ranges from a van packed with jerrycans – containers for fuel – at a gas station without attendants to refill them, to a small rigid inflatable boat disappearing into the sea; the activity of the so-called jerry can smugglers is at its peak. On the same day that the Secretary of State for Security, Rafael Pérez, announced that the Ministry of the Interior will intensify the investigation and pursuit of narco logistics, the Guardia Civil confiscated over 4,000 liters of gasoline on board two boats in Conil and Chiclana. The announcement came after presiding over the Operational Coordination Meeting (MECO) held at the Parador de Cádiz.
During the meeting, various commanders from the Guardia Civil, National Police, Customs Surveillance, the Prosecutor’s Office, and the Superior Court of Justice of Andalusia emphasized the need for the Special Security Plan for the Campo de Gibraltar to focus on tightening the noose around all the logistics involved in drug trafficking. This includes the constant fuel and supply activities at sea, jerry can smuggling, and “the storage and transportation of drug hauls and the tasks of unloading and guarding the drugs,” as explained by Interior after the meeting. The Special Plan, now in its fourth expansion, covers several Andalusian provinces and aims to strengthen international cooperation with Portugal and Morocco.
Despite legal limitations, particularly concerning jerry can smuggling, Interior is working with the Ministry of Justice to introduce a specific legal reform to link this logistical activity to drug trafficking. The presence of narco boats along the Andalusian coast is a concern, especially after the murder of two Guardia Civil officers in Barbate. Since the launch of the plan in 2018, over 1,400 boats have been intervened, with 800 of them destroyed. Interior has invested millions of euros in strengthening police forces in the affected area, and the budget for the Special Security Plan is set to increase in the coming years.
Criticism from associations and unions, not present at the meeting, highlights the lack of scrutiny in Interior’s assessments. The reported numbers of seized boats are questioned, with claims that no operational boats exist in Cádiz. The lack of resources in the courts and the need to modernize outdated laws were also emphasized by the Prosecutor’s Office during the coordination meeting. Despite the challenges and criticisms, the efforts to combat drug trafficking in the region continue, with a focus on disrupting the logistical networks that facilitate the illicit trade. Additional investments and collaborations are being sought to strengthen the fight against narco activities in the area.
