Six people have been arrested in the operation, which according to Spanish media was carried out in collaboration with Swedish, Belgian and Moroccan police.
A helicopter has been seized, as well as more than 650 kilos of hashish, cash and several weapons. The helicopters used by the gang are said to be capable of transporting up to 900 kilos of drugs at a time. The drugs were hidden in warehouses and on farms in southern Spain and then sent overland to other countries in Europe.
Spain's close ties with Latin America and its geographical proximity to Morocco make it one of the main gateways for drugs to Europe. However, smuggling mainly takes place at sea, and the crackdown on the helicopter gang is therefore described as unusual.
