Costa News Spain Breaking News | English News in Spain.
The High Court of Justice of Andalusia has upheld prison sentences of three years and nine months for two men convicted over a 263-kilo hashish haul near Cala Botija in Algeciras.
The ruling confirms the decision handed down by the Provincial Court of Cádiz after the pair were found guilty of taking part in the August 2019 operation, which ended with police seizing 263 kilos of the drug on the Campo de Gibraltar coast.
How the operation unfolded
According to the court record, an officer from the Guardia Civil’s OCON-SUR unit spotted a recreational boat moving towards the shore at Cala Botija and saw people heading to the area. Officers then moved in as the landing unfolded.
When the suspects noticed police nearby, those on the beach dropped the bundles and ran into nearby scrubland. The boat headed back out to sea.
Two men were later detained. One was carrying the packages, while the other was positioned higher up and acting as a lookout, with two mobile phones and a radio on him, the report said.
Appeal rejected
The defendants challenged the conviction, but the TSJA rejected the appeal and ratified the lower court’s findings. The court said the evidence from the Guardia Civil officers involved in the operation was sufficient to support the conviction.
The case adds to the continuing judicial fallout from drug-trafficking activity on the Campo de Gibraltar coastline, where landings and attempted drop-offs remain a regular concern for law enforcement.
