The Security Plan for the Campo de Gibraltar achieves the seizure of more than 149 tons of drugs and 4,852 arrests in its first year
Acting Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska has chaired a meeting today to analyze the results of the Gibraltar Special Field Security Plan, which was launched in July 2018 to improve security conditions in the area
A reinforcement of 346 National Police and Civil Guard agents has contributed to seizing, in addition to drugs, 750 vehicles, 2,761,000 euros and 758,999 smuggled tobacco packets
The number of operations against drug trafficking has increased by 77.8% and operations against money laundering and asset research, by 86.9%
In this first year the social alarm caused by drug trafficking has been reduced and the principle of authority in the region has been restored
Acting Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska has chaired a meeting in which the results of the first year of application of the Gibraltar Field Special Security Plan have been presented, a set of measures to improve citizen security in the area through actions and objectives in the short and medium term.
During the meeting the main measures and effects of the Plan were analyzed, which was activated in July 2018 with an extraordinary initial budget of 7.03 million euros until December, to which another 17 million euros must be added for 2019.
These measures were adopted due to the significant deterioration of objective security conditions in the area due to the impact of drug trafficking and violent behavior linked to the activity of organized crime groups, some of them directed against members of the Security Forces and Bodies. of the State (FCSE).
RESTORATION OF THE AUTHORITY PRINCIPLE
This situation, maintained for years, as not only denounced by the FCSE, but also by different groups, neighborhood platforms and mayors of the municipalities of Campo de Gibraltar, had caused the loss of the principle of authority and the consequent sense of impunity on the part of the drug traffickers
As a result of the efforts made by the Ministry of the Interior to strengthen security, between August 1, 2018 and June 30, 2019, 4,852 arrests have been made, including important leaders of drug trafficking organizations. In addition 143.1 tons of hashish have been seized; 5.4 cocaine; 500 kilograms of heroin and 108 of marijuana, as well as 758,999 packets of smuggled tobacco.
In the course of the various operations, agents of the State Security Forces and Bodies have also seized 750 vehicles used to transport illegal goods, of which 133 are vessels, mainly semi-rigid speedboats dedicated to drug trafficking.
The number of operations against drug trafficking has increased by 77.8% and operations against money laundering and asset research, by 86.9% during the first year of the Plan's validity.
In addition to arrests and seizures, personnel and media reinforcements have favored a considerable reduction in the number of violent episodes against members of the Security Forces and Bodies on the occasion of their actions against criminal groups.
Among the measures adopted, the reinforcement in 346 National Police (148) and Civil Guard (198) agents that have been incorporated into all the municipalities of the region stands out.
In addition, 112 vehicles, 427 protection elements for both Corps agents, 293 surveillance and control devices and a specialized helicopter camera have been acquired.
The Plan has also reinforced the operational intelligence capabilities, as well as the coordination of the competent Bodies in the region. Similarly, there has been an increase and update of the material and technological means to combat drug trafficking and smuggling.
These reinforcements have also allowed increasing inspections of suspicious containers in the port of Algeciras and strengthening the transfer and custody of seized media and substances.
It is also important to highlight the coordination with other organizations and institutions. In this sense, various coordination bodies have been set up of which National Police, Civil Guard, Customs Surveillance and responsible for Local Police Bodies are part, as well as a Regional Technical Board and a Technical Table of the Line of the Conception. Numerous coordination meetings have also been held with the judicial authorities and the Fiscal Ministry, as well as with the associative fabric of the region.
OPERATIONS AGAINST WHITENING
The adoption of structural and functional measures has allowed the strengthening of heritage investigations against drug trafficking organizations and the fight against money laundering, with the result of an 86.9 percent increase in the number of National Police and Civil Guard operations against money laundering and property investigations, going from 84 between August 1, 2017 to June 30, 2018 to 157 between August 1, 2018 to June 30, 2019.
As part of the Plan, the Center for Intelligence against Terrorism and Organized Crime (CITCO), under the Ministry of Interior, has also created a specific group dedicated to intelligence work on criminal activities related to groups operating in the towns of the Field from Gibraltar: Algeciras, Los Barrios, La Linea de la Concepcion, San Roque, Castellar de la Frontera, Jimena de la Frontera and the port of Tarifa.
CITIZEN COLLABORATION
Another of the achievements of the first year of the Plan has been the consolidation of greater activity in the field of prevention and collaboration with sectors of civil society and entities affected by drug trafficking, which has resulted in obtaining great information value for specialized investigation units and, with it, an increase in their capacity to anticipate the movements of criminal groups operating in the area.
Highlights the more than 40 meetings of the Security Forces and Bodies with neighborhood entities and associations in which their security concerns have been addressed. Likewise, the 71 preventive activities directed by the Delegates of Citizen Participation in educational centers.
The Special Security Plan was activated after the visit to La Línea (Cádiz) of the Minister of the Interior on July 9, 2018, in which he learned first-hand the work of the State Security Forces and Corps, their needs and security demands of the inhabitants of the Campo de Gibraltar through citizen platforms, with which since then frequent meetings have been held at all levels.
It is expected that the Plan will be developed in a second phase, extending its range of action to other Andalusian provinces and neighboring areas.
