The Implications of the Upcoming Testimony in the Cannabis Tunnel Investigation
In a significant development, the Spanish National Court is preparing to hear testimony from a senior official of the Civil Guard’s Central Operations Unit (UCO), a move that could potentially unveil crucial details regarding a meeting between two members of this specialized unit and prominent suspects linked to the extensive cannabis smuggling tunnels between Morocco and Ceuta. According to information published by the newspaper "El Faro de Ceuta," the court approved the taking of this security official's statement despite objections from the public prosecutor, following an appeal lodged by the defense team of one of the defendants. This testimony aims to clarify the nature of the encounter that was monitored by the National Police's Anti-Drug and Organized Crime Unit (UDYCO) during surveillance operations related to the case.
The case traces back to a meeting that took place on April 2, 2025, involving two UCO members, a retired civil guard, and another suspect believed to own the warehouses where two cannabis smuggling tunnels were discovered in the Tarajal area of Ceuta. UDYCO investigators documented the meeting with photographs, initially classifying the Civil Guard members as "unknown 1" and "unknown 2." It was later revealed that they belonged to an elite unit responsible for investigating complex cases, including issues related to corruption and organized crime.
The forthcoming testimony from the UCO official is expected to shed light on the specific mission that the two agents were executing, the reasons behind their meeting with the suspects, and whether any higher authorities were aware of these encounters. Furthermore, it will be crucial to determine whether these meetings were recorded as part of an ongoing security investigation. A document prepared by UDYCO indicates that the two agents arrived at the meeting place in a rented vehicle, which subsequent investigations revealed was leased by the General Directorate of the Civil Guard.
Notably, the identities of the two agents were only confirmed on April 11, nine days after the meeting was observed, while UDYCO had uncovered an overlap between its investigation and another being conducted by the Internal Affairs Department regarding the same individuals. The unit reported that it had not received any official notification or prior coordination through the Counter-Terrorism and Organized Crime Intelligence Center (CITCO) concerning the meeting or the involvement of the UCO agents.
Additionally, the investigation revealed that the responsible investigator received a call from a person claiming to be a commander in the Civil Guard, who informed him that the two individuals observed were security agents, although he could not specify the date, number, or method of the contact.
The anticipated testimony holds significant importance for the defendants’ legal team, as it may establish whether the retired civil guard and the suspect believed to own the tunnels were merely targets of the investigation or if they played another role within an undisclosed security cooperation framework. Moreover, it is expected to clarify whether senior security leadership was informed about the actions of the two agents and why there was no coordination with the UDYCO team, which had already made considerable progress in dismantling the network and seizing quantities of drugs while uncovering suspicions of involvement or complicity from security elements.
This development emerges in the context of investigations related to Operation "Ares," which led to the discovery of a second tunnel for smuggling cannabis between Morocco and Ceuta, passing through a commercial warehouse in the Tarajal area.
As reported by ar.telquel.ma.
