Imprisonment for Transforming a Rented House in an Alicante Village into a Marijuana Paradise

The Civil Guard and the National Police have successfully dismantled an international criminal gang dedicated to intensive cultivation and drug trafficking as part of Operation 'Coq Vert'. The arrested individuals had transformed a rented house in an Alicante village into a marijuana paradise, from which 800 plants have been seized.

This police operation has led to the arrest of the main suspects, two 25-year-old Albanians who attempted to flee during the raid on the house and have been imprisoned. Additionally, another Dutch couple, a 25-year-old man and a 29-year-old woman, have been detained and released with precautionary measures.

The detainees are charged with drug trafficking, electricity fraud, resistance and disobedience, assaulting law enforcement officers, and belonging to a criminal group, according to their level of involvement.

Operation 'Coq Vert' was the result of combining two police cases. On one hand, the Judicial Police Brigade of the Alcoi Police Station launched an investigation after detecting significant fraudulent electricity consumption in an isolated country house in Millena.

On the other hand, the Roca Team of the Ibi Company was investigating a group of Albanian citizens suspected of being linked to a criminal organization dedicated to marijuana cultivation.

The collaboration between both police forces and the Intelligence Centre against Terrorism and Organized Crime (Citco) of the Ministry of the Interior established a possible connection between the two cases. As a result, a joint investigation team was created to verify the criminal activity.

Investigations revealed that the marijuana plantation was located inside a rented house for 18,000 euros annually. The tenants made two semi-annual cash payments.

Additionally, agents confirmed that the involved parties maintained constant security measures and frequently traveled between Spain and European countries such as the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and France. This made police surveillance difficult, according to case sources.

The investigation lasted four months, successfully linking -in this international criminal network- individuals of Albanian and Dutch origin, some of whom have criminal records and pending prison sentences in Europe for public health offenses.

On February 19, agents from the Civil Guard and National Police, supported by the Citizen Security Unit (Usecic) of Torrevieja, stormed and secured the house, carrying out the exploitation phase of Operation 'Coq Vert'.

During the search, 800 marijuana plants, three vehicles, and various items related to cannabis cultivation and processing were seized.

During the entry, the two main Albanian suspects attempted to flee by breaking through a plasterboard wall and escaping through the adjacent fields. The police perimeter, supported by a drone, intercepted them after they put up significant resistance.

The other two arrests, of the Albanian couple, took place in two different locations, one near this marijuana paradise plantation and the other at the Alcoi police station.

The Court of Instruction No. 2 of the Judicial District has taken over the case. Investigations remain open, and further arrests are not ruled out. This operation represents a significant blow against organized crime in the province of Alicante and strengthens collaboration between different police forces in the fight against drug trafficking.