Spanish police bust drug smuggling ring that was using drones to spy on authorities

Spanish authorities have revealed they arrested 12 people in connection to a drug smuggling ring that was using drones to spy on police (Marcos del Mazo/LightRocket via Getty Images)

Spanish police have cracked down on a drug smuggling ring that was using drones to spy on law enforcement and make sure the coast was clear while they conducted their illicit business.

Officers arrested 12 members of the ring, all Spanish nationals, who they attribute with trafficking over six tons of hashish into the country over the last few months, worth about $5.7 million. Hashish is a potent marijuana product that comes from the resin of the cannabis plant, and it is much stronger than the herbal drug.

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Police discovered a drone, radio frequency inhibitor and several smartphones during their raid, and deemed that the 10 men and two women associated with the operation were using the technology to monitor the coast of the southern town where they were arrested, La Linea de la Concepcion.

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“Some of those who were arrested were highly trained in the use of unmanned drones, which were used when a boat full of hashish neared the coast to land, in order to monitor a possible police presence,” police said.

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The city sits directly on the border of Gibraltar, and has become a primary location for drug smuggling in recent years, according to police. Spain's close proximity to Morocco, as well as relationships with colonies in South America, has abetted the country's lucrative marijuana and cocaine market, according to police.