SPAIN’s prosecutors have warned about the arrival of former military personnel from Ukraine and the Balkans in Cadiz, amid growing concerns over increasingly violent drug gangs in southern Spain.
The warning comes as authorities continue to face organised crime groups involved in drug trafficking, with some gangs using increasingly powerful firearms.
The arrival of former military personnel has been raising concerns due to their potential combat experience and familiarity with weapons.
Some may also have connections to international criminal networks, making them valuable to gangs involved in drug trafficking and violence.
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However, it is not yet clear how many of those who are arriving in Cádiz have military backgrounds or whether they have been directly linked to specific criminal operations.
Some are reportedly involved in ‘vuelcos’, which is a practice where gangs steal drugs from rival criminal groups.
The use of firearms has also become a growing problem. In the Cadiz province, authorities opened 24 criminal proceedings over the illegal possession of weapons.
Four AK-47 assault rifles were seized during three separate operations in Jerez and Sanlúcar.
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In addition, automatic weapons and submachine guns were also recovered in the areas of Barbate and Chiclana.
The growing firepower of drug gangs has raised concerns about the risks faced by police officers, particularly when confronting groups involved in drug trafficking.
Cádiz has traditionally been a hotspot for smuggling, with the Campo de Gibraltar serving as a key entry point for drugs entering Spain.
The Strait of Gibraltar is also frequently used by traffickers moving hashish from Morocco, while cocaine is also smuggled into the country through major ports, including Algeciras.
Police pressure has forced some criminal groups to adapt their routes and methods, adding to concerns about the spread of organised crime along the Andalusian coast.
The latest warning highlights how drug trafficking in southern Spain is increasingly linked to international criminal networks, with authorities facing the additional challenge of gangs equipped with powerful weapons.
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