Customs police in the Port of Ceuta uncovered a stash of drugs that was being smuggled in industrial gas bottles earlier this week.
The cylinders were found to be loaded with packs of hashish, a common illegal cargo on the routes from North Africa to Europe.
Guardia Civil's border service and Spanish customs inspectors examined the cargo of empty oxygen bottles that were awaiting shipment to the Port of Algeciras on Monday. Ceuta is a Spanish exclave on the coast of Morocco which has regular cargo ferry services to the Spanish mainland.
According to Maritime Executive, the inspectors said they had found "indications of possible manipulation" of the bottles. A dog unit then attended the scene to confirm the suspicion and one of the bottles was opened for examination. Inspectors discovered 27kg of hashish inside the bottle - and when the remainder of the cylinders were opened, a total of 415kg of the drug was recovered from 15 bottles. No arrests have been made but the police are investigating and working on locating and arresting the perpetrators.
Ceuta is located on a peninsula and has just one border crossing into Morocco. The border post, Tarakal, was reopened in May after shutting for more than two years due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Since cross-border trade has resumed it has provided Moroccan smugglers with access to Ceuta's freight ferry services, which can be used to reach markets on the Spanish mainland. Tarajal has also historically been a major crossing point for migrants and refugees who are seeking to get into Spain.
