In January 2020, a tragedy off the coast of Morocco shocked Andalusia: the fishing boat Rúa Mar sank, claiming the lives of six crew members. It was later revealed that a criminal scheme was behind the incident, and the vessel’s owner, Pedro Masa, became the focus of an investigation.
A court in Cádiz has brought the case to a close, sentencing Masa to 22 years and two months in prison. He was found guilty on several counts: involuntary manslaughter, organizing drug trafficking, money laundering, and attempted fraud. Judges detailed how Masa led a group that, since 2016, used fishing boats to transport hashish from Morocco to Spain. In 2019, for example, another vessel from the same group carried over a ton of drugs.
On the day of the tragedy, the Rúa Mar crew reported a serious malfunction via satellite phone. Despite this, the owner took no action to save the crew. According to the court, this inaction proved fatal. As a result, four sailors were never found and two others, including Masa’s relatives, died. The court found no evidence that Masa deliberately endangered his crew but noted his negligence and disregard for the situation.
The investigation also found that Masa and his partners had set up an entire network for laundering proceeds from drug trafficking. The money from the sale of hashish was used for family expenses, real estate purchases, and legalization through business structures. The verdict also names other members of the group: two were sentenced to six years each, and two more received between three and four and a half years in prison. The court particularly noted the role of Masa’s former partner, who helped conceal the illegal proceeds.
After the Rúa Mar wreck, bales of hashish were found at sea; however, the court could not definitively link them to the vessel. Nevertheless, extensive wiretaps and surveillance convinced the judges that the boat was used for drug transportation. The verdict can be appealed within ten days, but the case has already become one of the most high-profile in the region in recent years.
