Customs officers and National Police have arrested two men, one Spanish and one Moroccan, who were trying to smuggle drugs from the enclave of Melilla to mainland Spain.
The two men, residents of Melilla, set out in the six metre long pleasure craft ‘Romerete’ with the intention of smuggling around 1,500 kilos of hashish into Spain. However, the authorities got wind of the attempt and the Customs vessel ‘Calimbo II’ and a helicopter tracked the vessel and a chase ensued.
During the chase the alleged smugglers threw most of their cargo overboard and it sank to the murky depths of the Mediterranean sea. When the ‘Romerete’ was finally intercepted there was only 70 kilos of the drugs remaining on board.
The two detainees have been remanded in custody on charges of crimes against the public health.