Spanish authorities said on Monday that they had seized seven tons of cocaine hidden in sea freight containers buried beneath a farm and arrested three suspected smugglers. Police released video of the seizure, which shows officers digging up the ground and retrieving dozens of packages containing the alleged drugs.
The Civil Guard police said they launched the operation on Friday after discovering two suspicious speedboats near the mouth of the Guadalquivir River.
The boats were tracked to a rural estate in the municipality of Coria del Rio, south of Seville, where the suspects hid the drugs in two underground containers.
The Civil Guard, which claimed it was the largest cocaine seizure smuggled into southern Spain by speedboat, shared a video on social media of officers unearthing the alleged drugs.
They said they seized three weapons, including an AK-47 assault rifle, and two stolen vehicles.
Because of its proximity to Morocco, a major cannabis producer, and close ties with former Latin American colonies, Spain is one of the primary entry points into Europe for international drug traffickers.
Last month, Spanish authorities arrested one of their top police officers after discovering 20 million euros hidden in the walls of his home as part of an investigation into the country’s largest-ever cocaine bust.
In July, Spain took part in the takedown of a major network transporting Latin American cocaine into Europe by boat, which resulted in 50 arrests in eight countries. Twenty-six of the detainees were apprehended in Spain.