SPANISH POLICE HAVE said they’ve dismantled a criminal group operating in the Malaga area, after arresting 11 people which included at least one Irish citizen.

Seven tonnes of cannabis were seized, along with a kilo of cocaine, MDMA, €222,720 in cash, small amounts of UK and Moroccan currency, nine vehicles, a gun, mobile phones, a money counting machine, and three precision scales.

Police released a video yesterday showing the drugs seized, as well as a quantity of cash and the gun seized.

In a statement police said that their investigation into the criminal gang began last March, after agents became aware of a number of people – of Moroccan and Spanish nationality – who were transporting illegal drugs to Spain by sea.

Policía Nacional Policía Nacional

At the end of May, investigators detected a suspect getting into a vehicle near Malaga. During a subsequent pursuit, the suspect rammed several police vehicles and attempted to flee before being arrested, and found in possession of a quantity of cannabis.

Another suspect was arrested the next day.

The police later identified a number of people from the UK and Ireland, and verified they’d found the ringleader of the gang and four other members.

“After confirming their involvement in the criminal activity, they were arrested and registered the address of the leader located in San Pedro de Alcántara,” police said.

The last phase of the operation saw a further four people arrested this week, bringing the total number of arrests to 11 – nine men and two women.

They’ve been arrested for “their alleged involvement in a crime of drug trafficking and belonging to a criminal group”, police said.