The Mossos d’Esquadra have seized 15 long and short pneumatic weapons of different power and a short .22 calibre firearm within the framework of the dismantling of an alleged network for the cultivation and trafficking of marijuana with its epicentre in the Mariola neighbourhood, in Lleida. In one of the registered properties, a Civil War grenade without an explosive charge also appeared.
The operation, developed on Tuesday, closed with 12 detainees between 25 and 73 years old. Five of them entered prison on Thursday. The arrested individuals are attributed alleged crimes of belonging to a criminal group, against public health, electricity fraud, and illegal possession and trafficking of weapons.
The investigation places the network as an organization with a stable, hierarchical and coordinated structure, allegedly oriented to the repeated commission of crimes. The Criminal Investigation Division of Lleida maintains that there existed a clearly differentiated leadership, responsible for making strategic decisions on the selection of the locations where to establish the crops.
The searches were carried out in Mariola and Seròs, where three plantations were located. In the large-scale raid, 1,300 plants were seized in seven searches. Arrests were also made in Cambrils, Sabadell, and Vilanova i la Geltrú.
During the operation, the agents also located various parts of other weapons and metallic and semi-metallic ammunition. All the weapons seized have been sent to the Central Unit of Ballistics and Instrumental Traces of the Scientific Police for their study.
The Catalan police attribute to the group a role of intermediation in the buying and selling of firearms. In the course of the investigation, it is also gathered that this type of weaponry was often used by criminal groups to defend themselves from narco-assaults and also for their own enjoyment.
The case remains open while analyses on the seized weaponry and the material located in the properties advance. Five of the detainees have already entered prison, while the Mossos maintain under investigation the scope of the activity attributed to the network and the possible connection between drug trafficking and the illegal circulation of weapons in the Lleida area.