Three men were arrested on Monday night in southern Tenerife after attempting to evade police while transporting half a tonne of hashish in a van. The suspects called the emergency services, believing they were being pursued by another vehicle.
In reality, the car following them was an undercover police unit from the Guardia Civil, equipped with firearms, trying to get the van to stop near Las Chafiras in San Miguel de Abona.
Investigators believe the men, now facing drug trafficking charges, thought they were about to be robbed by rival drug dealers seeking to seize their load.
The incident prompted a response from the Emergency and Security Coordination Centre (Cecoes), which dispatched local police and Guardia Civil officers to assess the situation. Upon arrival, they confirmed it was part of an ongoing police operation.
The arrests involved a Spanish national, a dual Spanish-Moroccan citizen, and a Moroccan national. The operation was led by the Organised Crime Team (ECO) based in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, with additional support from the Rural Patrol from Playa de las Américas for security during the intervention.
The hashish seized from the van has been taken to the main police station in Granadilla de Abona, where the suspects will face charges at the Granadilla Court of First Instance, which is currently operating.
