In the province of Malaga, National Police officers foiled an attempt to illegally transport a large shipment of hashish. During a roadside check near Velez-Malaga, they stopped a truck that was carrying nearly 1.6 tons of the drug hidden among crates of oranges.
At first glance, the cargo aroused no suspicion: wooden crates were filled with citrus fruits, although some of the oranges appeared noticeably darker. Upon inspection, officers found that some of the ‘oranges’ were made of latex and contained compressed blocks of hashish. This method of concealment allowed the traffickers to hope that the shipment would pass unnoticed.
The operation began when police noticed suspicious behavior from two foreign-registered vehicles traveling on the A-7 motorway. One of them was following the truck, and its passengers appeared nervous, carefully watching the road. Police called for backup, and soon anti-narcotics specialists from Malaga joined the operation.
When police tried to stop both vehicles, the car made sudden maneuvers and fled, while the truck was detained at an exit from the highway. The truck was escorted to a warehouse, where a thorough inspection was carried out. Hundreds of fake oranges were discovered, each containing hashish bricks inside. The total weight of the confiscated drug was 1,579 kilograms.
Two men who were in the truck were detained on suspicion of drug trafficking. After questioning, they were handed over to the Malaga court, which ordered them to be taken into custody. The operation was dubbed “Zidanne” (Zidanne).
Police continue their investigation to identify and locate the occupants of the car who managed to flee the scene. Authorities do not rule out the possibility that those detained may be connected to a larger drug trafficking network.
This is not the first time criminals have used unusual methods to transport drugs through Andalusia. Several weeks ago in Cadiz, another large shipment of hashish—1.8 tons—was seized, also disguised as oranges. On that occasion, police discovered a stash in a residential house containing bags of drugs as well as packages of cocoa and other containers. Two suspects were detained as a result and subsequently sent to prison.
Spanish law enforcement agencies note that drug traffickers are increasingly resorting to complex concealment schemes to avoid detection. However, regular checks and coordinated police work make it possible to detect and prevent such attempts.
