Four men detained for alleged drug trafficking in case connected to arrest of John Gilligan

Spanish police say the men are linked to the same gang.

POLICE IN SPAIN HAVE arrested four people in relation to drug smuggling, saying the case is connected to the arrest last year of a well-known Irish criminal.

The Policia Nacional said they detained the four people in the Alicante area of Spain. They said those arrested were “directly in charge” of growing and exporting cannabis through the postal system.

The police said that the operation is directly linked to a well-known Irish criminal who was arrested in Spain in October 2020. Last year, John Gilligan was arrested in Spain in relation to alleged connections to drugs and arms trafficking. He is currently on bail.

The Policia Nacional said each of the four arrested recently had their own individual tasks within the alleged organisation.

One of them who was in charge of growing cannabis had installed a hydroponic system inside his home. Another detainee carried out communications with the United Kingdom and, finally, the remaining two were in charge of making the postal delivery, police said.

The Policia Nacional started their investigation last year after it was discovered the suspects had settled in the Torrevieja area of Spain.

Officers contacted gardaí who were able to help the Spanish authorities identify the other members of the gang.

Gilligan himself was arrested in October of last year.