Ten held in tobacco smuggling bust

Police and customs officers have dismantled a tobacco smuggling network that investigators say supplied several provinces from a distribution point in Marbella and storage sites in Córdoba and Seville.

The joint operation by the Guardia Civil, Policía Nacional and the Tax Agency’s Customs Surveillance service ended with ten arrests and five other suspects under investigation, according to the officers involved.

Investigators seized about 150,000 packets of illegal tobacco, along with 60 kilos of loose tobacco and machinery used to make cigarettes.

How the inquiry developed

The case began in Málaga province after officers detected contraband cigarettes being sold in shops in Marbella. They say the packets shared manufacturing features that helped them trace the supply chain back to the people behind the trade.

That line of inquiry led officers to a garage in Marbella used as a distribution hub for sales across the Costa del Sol, as well as storage locations in Santaella, La Carlota and Écija.

During the final phase of the operation, officers intercepted a vehicle carrying 11,250 packets and 60 kilos of loose tobacco. Searches carried out with judicial authorisation then uncovered a further 500 packets in Marbella, as well as large additional stocks at the other locations.

Large-scale distribution network

According to the investigation, the network was moving daily quantities of tobacco to several provinces, including Málaga, Almería, Cádiz, Huelva and Córdoba. Officers say one of the main storage sites held more than 110,000 packets, while vehicles in Santaella were being prepared for distribution.

Those arrested have been handed to the Marbella court dealing with the inquiry. They are suspected of belonging to a criminal organisation, contraband offences and offences against industrial property.