In Ceuta, the police discovered a new underground tunnel designed for the illegal transport of hashish from Morocco. According to the Ministry of the Interior, the passage allowed for the movement of up to two tons of drugs per week. The tunnel was carefully disguised and began in the El Tarajal industrial zone, just a few meters from the border.
Access to the underground gallery was hidden behind a massive refrigerator and an additional door leading to a secluded room. Inside, the police noticed signs of recent construction work. After removing a layer of concrete, they found a hatch that opened a passageway descending to a depth of 19 meters. The gallery featured stone walls and an arched shape, and part of the route was flooded with groundwater.
Three levels and a security system
The tunnel was divided into three sections. The first was a vertical shaft, the second a spacious room where hashish was stored on pallets, and the third the main corridor leading toward Morocco. The exact length and endpoint are yet to be determined. Rails, trolleys, a system of pulleys, and lifts were used to move the cargo. This allowed operators to work without meeting each other, reducing the risk of arrest during police raids.
Due to the high level of groundwater, two powerful pumps were installed in the tunnel for continuous water removal. In addition, the facility was soundproofed so that the noise from the equipment would not attract attention. In some places, the walls had to be reinforced to prevent collapse, and at the end of the route, water would seep in especially actively.
Comparison with previous findings
This tunnel turned out to be significantly more complex than the previous one discovered in February last year in the same area. Back then, the entrance was located in an abandoned workshop, and the structure was less robust: the walls were reinforced with wooden planks, the depth was 12 meters, and the width was only 70 centimeters. Unlike the new tunnel, there were no rails or carts, and drugs had to be moved manually, crawling.
Organization and suspects
According to the investigation, the underground route was organized by a Moroccan entrepreneur, Mustapha Chairi Brouzi. Modern technical solutions were used to keep the tunnel operational, making it harder to detect and increasing the safety of those involved in the scheme. The operation to detect and break open the tunnel was carried out by Udyco and the National Police, who posted a video from the scene on their official social media accounts.
