Behind the fridge was a 19-metre-deep drug tunnel

No time? blue News summarizes for you

• Spanish police have uncovered a drug tunnel in the North African exclave of Ceuta.
• Large quantities of hashish are suspected to have been smuggled into Europe from there.
• The entrance was located behind a large, soundproof refrigerator. The tunnel is 19 meters deep.
• The police are calling it a major blow against a large drug gang.

Summary created with

Spanish police have unearthed a complex underground tunnel system in the North African exclave of Ceuta, which was presumably used to smuggle large quantities of hashish into Spain and other parts of Europe.

The system extended over several levels to a depth of around 19 meters and connected Ceuta with Moroccan territory, according to the Ministry of the Interior in Madrid. The structure was "cinematic", it said.

The authorities are calling it a significant blow against a professionally organized drug gang. The find was preceded by an investigation lasting more than a year.

Access hidden behind a large refrigerator

In a large-scale operation involving more than 250 officers in the Spanish regions of Andalusia and Galicia as well as in Ceuta, 27 suspects were arrested. The police seized over 17 tons of hashish, as well as around 1.4 million euros in cash, numerous communication devices and several luxury vehicles.

Alcohol in the lead, but cocaine is booming

Addiction treatments in Switzerland on the rise

According to official information, the facility that was excavated consisted of three levels: a descent shaft, an intermediate chamber for storing the drug packages and a connecting corridor leading to Morocco. The entrance in Ceuta was concealed behind a large, soundproof refrigerator.

"Labyrinth like a mine"

According to investigators, the construction was reminiscent of a "labyrinth like a mine": The drugs were transported via shafts, intermediate spaces and a main tunnel.

Technical devices such as trolleys on rails, cranes and pulleys were used to move the goods between the levels. The tunnel had not been used for some time because the criminals felt they were being watched, it was said.

According to the investigation, a cross-border network was behind the tunnel construction. One of the suspected main perpetrators operated from Morocco and is said to have acted as a kind of "tunnel architect". Another suspect coordinated the business in Ceuta, where deliveries were organized and agreements made.