Moroccan Cannabis at the Heart of Drug Trade in Andalusia
The Spanish Prosecutor's Office has identified Morocco as the primary source of cannabis being smuggled onto the shores of the Andalusia region in southern Spain. This revelation comes at a time when drug trafficking networks are becoming increasingly active, adapting their methods and routes amidst a backdrop of rising violence, the proliferation of weapons, and the expansion of cocaine smuggling operations. In its annual report for 2025, presented during the opening of the judicial year at the Supreme Court in Madrid, the Prosecutor's Office emphasized that drug trafficking constitutes the "greatest threat" stemming from organized crime and serious offenses.
According to the report, Spain's strategic position on global maritime drug routes has made it a significant player in the drug trade, with cannabis cultivated in Morocco entering through the Andalusian coast. Meanwhile, a majority of the cocaine arriving from South America is funneled through ports en route to Europe, as highlighted by the newspaper "Info Bay" based on the report's findings. In Andalusia, Moroccan cannabis remains the most prevalent drug, although the volume of seizures has dramatically increased in several areas. For instance, in Huelva, authorities confiscated 63,103 kilograms of cannabis in 2025, a substantial rise from 20,975 kilograms in 2024, marking an astonishing increase of 201.8% according to Spanish media reports referencing the Prosecutor's data.
Escalating Violence and Evolving Smuggling Tactics
This surge in drug seizures coincides with a notable evolution in smuggling tactics. The Prosecutor's Office reported the use of large trailers equipped with hollow beams as double-bottom floors, along with tunnels dug beneath the border in the Spanish enclave of Ceuta. Additionally, the frequency of high-speed boats traversing the Strait of Gibraltar towards the coasts of Huelva, Almería, and Málaga has increased significantly. Concurrently, there has been an expansion in cocaine trafficking, which has gained increasing traction in Cádiz, Seville, and Huelva. In La Línea de la Concepción, cocaine continues to be smuggled in shipping containers, while semi-rigid boats are employed in Barbate, Sanlúcar, and the Guadalquivir River to transport cocaine loaded from vessels in open waters, as reported by "Andalucía Información".
In Almería, the amount of cocaine seized skyrocketed from 324 kilograms to 1,255 kilograms, representing a staggering increase of 287%. Moreover, the confiscation of Moroccan cannabis resin surpassed 18 tons, up from approximately 4 tons the previous year, reflecting a 350% rise. The Prosecutor's Office attributes these shifts to the relocation of unloading points to nearby geographic areas where networks anticipate less law enforcement pressure. Notably, high-speed boats are no longer solely designated for transporting cannabis; they are now commonly used for transporting cocaine sourced from vessels at sea, according to the same report.
In light of these developments, the Prosecutor's Office has issued a warning regarding the escalating violence associated with drug networks in Andalusia. The report indicates a growing number of organized and professional criminal networks that employ their firearms not only against rival gangs but also "openly" against law enforcement agencies. In Cádiz, the report documented 24 actions related to firearm possession, including the seizure of four AK-47 rifles in Jerez and Sanlúcar during three operations, alongside automatic weapons and machine guns in areas such as Barbate and Chiclana. In Almería, 78 firearms were confiscated, including several machine guns and a rocket launcher, while Seville also recorded an increase in weapon seizures, with one police officer sustaining serious injuries during an operation in "Coria del Río".
The Prosecutor's Office concluded that the scale, complexity, and violence of drug trafficking networks have surpassed the available resources to combat them effectively, urging for an urgent and necessary enhancement of human, material, and legal resources. The phenomenon, as stated, "undermines the foundations of social peace."
As reported by al24news.dz.
