A supposed hashish trafficker has died and another has been injured after colliding with a Customs Surveillance boat off the coast of Los Caños de Meca, in Barbate. The incident occurred around 9:40 p.m. on Saturday during a chase. The Civil Guard is conducting an investigation to try to determine the circumstances of the event and the sequence of events that led to the collision and the death of one of the pursued individuals. The incident took place off the coast of Barbate, in an area known as Los Caños de Meca. A Customs Surveillance patrol boat was in the area when it began chasing a recreational boat of about four or five meters in length, suspected of transporting hashish bales. During the chase, the boat of the alleged traffickers moved towards the patrol boat, which “was forced to maneuver initially to avoid the collision,” according to Customs accounts. The traffickers then continued crossing the path of the Surveillance boat and reducing speed “abruptly constantly” until the collision occurred.
After the impact, one man, a Spanish national with a history of drug trafficking, suffered a broken arm. Despite his injuries, the man jumped into the sea to try to escape until he eventually called out for help to the Customs Surveillance agents, according to the institution’s account. The other occupant, a man of Moroccan origin who did not have any identification at the time of the accident, died. The agents tried to resuscitate the deceased, who was in cardiorespiratory arrest, on the way to the port of Barbate. Medical services also performed unsuccessful resuscitation procedures upon reaching the port. Customs Surveillance has recovered the damaged boat and four sacks of hashish weighing a total of 113 kilos. The recreational boat has been taken to the port of Barbate and is under the custody of the Civil Guard. The Armed Institute will be in charge of conducting the investigation of the accident, while Customs will handle the drug trafficking investigation.
Four months ago, in that same port of Barbate, two Civil Guard officers were murdered after a boat of drug traffickers ran over them. Hours after the incident, eight people were arrested, six of whom were sent to prison, including a trafficker from La Línea known as Kiko El Cabra. However, in May, a report from the Civil Guard, based on various videos, ruled out the involvement of those investigated in the incident. Accidents during pursuits between law enforcement agencies and drug traffickers are becoming increasingly common. The superior power and lower safety of the rigid-hull inflatable boats used by traffickers often result in them bearing the brunt of these accidents. On January 31, a trafficker died after colliding with a Civil Guard patrol boat at the mouth of the Guadalquivir River. In that case, the collision occurred after the pursued boat — carrying gasoline barrels to refuel narco boats — was adrift and, upon seeing the patrol boat approaching, started the engines and accidentally collided with the agents.
