Police have dismantled an international organisation dedicated to smuggling tobacco and money laundering, arresting 13 people so and seizing 2.668.250 packs of cigarettes.
The organisation was led by an Englishman and an Irishman, bothe based in Marbella. The detainees are 1 Briton, 1 Irishman, 10 Spaniards and 1 Belgian. The police operation was carried out in Spain, Portugal and Belgium.
In nine raids, 2.66825 million packs of tobacco were seized in Seville, Cádiz, Valencia, France and Portugal, as well as 50,000 euros in cash. A number of bank accounts have also been blocked and real estate seized.
The tobacco was produced in Asian countries and introduced into Europe through African states and other countries in the eastern periphery of Europe. The organisation had the capacity to import ten containers of tobacco, millions of packs, each month, netting them over one million euros per month.
Various shell companies were set up to launder the proceeds from the sale of the tobacco, with false tax declarations being filed.
The investigation is ongoing.