Valencia Police Operation Results In 20,000 Cannabis Plants Seizure

The Spanish authorities have delivered another blow to one of Europe’s biggest cannabis trafficking networks, arresting 20 suspects and seizing 20,000 plants.

The large scale operation, called ‘Mocy’, led investigators to the south-eastern Spanish community of Valencia where authorities arrested 20 suspected drug traffickers, including a lieutenant of the network’s leader.

According to police sources, 19 suspects are of Bulgarian nationality and one is Spanish.

The leader of the Valencia Branch is a Bulgarian national who ran a ‘grow-shop’ selling products related to growing cannabis plants.

On his premises in the town of l’Horta, officers seized 10,000 plants.

In total in Valencia, officers reportedly found 20,000 cannabis plants hidden in industrial warehouses and several chalets. In addition, they located a ton of cannabis buds, EUR 300,000 (GBP 265,000 ) in cash, and high-end vehicles.

The ongoing operation began in the southern Spanish region of Andalusia and according to sources from the Civil Guard of Seville, the investigation has been coordinated with Europol and Eurojust and has resulted in a total of 110 arrests throughout Spain.

Agents have reportedly carried out over 80 searches throughout the country and in Poland, during which a ton and a half of cannabis and over 20,000 plants were seized, as well as 43 kilogrammes (95 lbs) of cocaine and 91 kilogrammes (201 lbs) of hashish.

According to the newspaper La Provincia, the organisation was “strongly hierarchical”, with the presence of mafias from Poland, Bulgaria, Morocco and Spain.

The criminal organisation operates on an international scale, transporting marijuana and hashish produced in Spain to various countries.

According to official sources, they even had a bus with hiding compartments made for drug trafficking.

The investigation continues.