March 31, 2026, 10:26 p.mMarch 31, 2026, 10:26 p.m
A similar tunnel was discovered in Ceuta last year. (Archive image, February 2025)Image: keystone
Spanish police have excavated a complex underground tunnel system in the North African exclave of Ceuta, which is believed to have been used to smuggle large quantities of hashish into Spain and other parts of Europe. The facility extended over several levels to a depth of around 19 meters and connected Ceuta with Moroccan territory, as the Interior Ministry in Madrid announced. The structure was “film-like,” they said.
The authorities speak of a significant blow against a professionally organized drug gang. The discovery was preceded by investigations lasting more than a year. In a large-scale operation involving more than 250 officers in the Spanish regions of Andalusia and Galicia as well as in Ceuta, 27 suspects were arrested. The police seized over 17 tons of hashish, as well as around 1.4 million euros in cash, numerous communication devices and several luxury vehicles.
Access hidden behind a large refrigerator
According to official information, the excavated facility consisted of three levels: a descent shaft, an intermediate chamber for storing the drug packages and a connecting passage towards Morocco. The entrance in Ceuta was hidden behind a large, soundproof refrigerator.
According to investigators, the construction was reminiscent of a “labyrinth like in a mine”: the drugs were transported via shafts, gaps and a main tunnel. Technical devices such as trucks on rails, cranes and pulleys were used to move the goods between levels. It was said that the tunnel had not been used for a long time because the criminals felt like they were being watched.
According to the investigation, a cross-border network was behind the tunnel construction. A suspected main person responsible operated from Morocco and is said to have acted as a kind of “tunnel architect”. Another suspect coordinated the business in Ceuta, where deliveries were organized and arrangements were made. (sda/dpa)