Spanish police have uncovered a sophisticated drug-smuggling tunnel in the North African exclave of Ceuta, featuring a rail system and underground cranes designed to transport hashish from Morocco into Spain.
The elaborate structure, hidden beneath an industrial warehouse, spanned three distinct levels.
These included a descent shaft, an intermediate chamber for storing pallets, and the main tunnel itself, according to a police statement released on Tuesday.
This discovery underscores Spain’s critical position as a primary entry point for hashish into Europe.
Ceuta, alongside Melilla, represents the European Union’s sole land border with the African continent, making it a strategic location for traffickers.
During the operation, authorities seized a substantial 17 metric tons of the illicit drug and €1.4 million in cash.
Twenty-seven individuals were arrested in connection with the sophisticated smuggling ring. The street value of the seized hashish was not disclosed.
While hashish is typically trafficked into Spain via speedboats across the sea, this tunnel highlights the evolving methods employed by criminal organisations.
Spain accounted for 68 per cent of all resin seizures across the EU in 2023, according to recent data from the EU drugs agency.
The country also sees other unconventional smuggling attempts, such as the periodic discovery of submarines or semi-submersible vessels transporting cocaine from South America in the northwestern region of Galicia, further cementing its role as a major transit hub for illicit narcotics.