The Spanish National Police have dismantled two major international criminal organisations specialising in hashish trafficking.

The joint operation was conducted in close cooperation with Morocco’s General Directorate for National Security (DGSN) and coordinated with the Public Prosecutor’s Office of the Tangier Court of Appeal.

Police seized 20 tonnes of hashish hidden in shipments of peppers on refrigerated trucks.

According to a statement by the Spanish National Police, the investigation began after information was exchanged with Moroccan authorities, leading to the identification of two truck convoys suspected of transporting drugs.

The first convoy was intercepted in Sanlúcar de Barrameda, in the province of Cádiz, where officers found 12 tonnes of hashish concealed behind crates of peppers.

Fifteen suspects were arrested during the operation.

Three days later, another operation in the province of Granada uncovered 8 tonnes of hashish, resulting in five additional arrests.

In total, twenty people were detained for drug trafficking and membership in a criminal organisation.

The operation also led to the seizure of nine vehicles, including trucks and trailers, an automatic firearm, and more than 7,000 euros in cash.

The Spanish National Police praised the “valuable cooperation” of Moroccan authorities, saying the joint effort demonstrates “the excellence of security cooperation between Morocco and Spain, based on mutual trust, effective coordination, and a shared commitment to combat transnational criminal networks.”