This is the moment Spanish cops raid the premises of a drug trafficking operation in southern Spain run by a notorious Brit who went from being a sailor in the Royal navy to a successful drug trafficker living in a luxurious seaside villa while driving high-end sports cars.

The investigation into the British national who was not named began last August (2020) as a joint operation between Spanish and British authorities.

In total three raids were carried out, two in the southern Spanish provinces of Malaga and Cadiz and one in the autonomous community of Ceuta which borders Morocco, yesterday (24th May).

The raids resulted in the arrest of 10 suspects including the Ex-Royal Navy sailor, the confiscation of 1600-kilogrammes (3527-lbs) of hashish, five high-end vehicles, two luxury yachts, several weapons and EUR 5800 (GBP 5005) in cash.

In a statement obtained by Newsflash, Spanish authorities said the main suspect in the case is a British citizen who thanks to his experience in the Royal Navy has extensive nautical knowledge.

The authorities believe that the suspect used the skills he had acquired during his time in the navy to navigate boats carrying drugs from Ceuta to the Spanish mainland.

The gang had developed an extensive network of contacts in Morocco allowing it to source the drugs that it then sold on the Spanish market.

Authorities also believe that the former sailor has connections with drug traffickers in Ukraine and the United Kingdom.

Authorities described the network as “highly organised and professional” with strict measures in place regarding how the members communicated and navigated during trafficking operations.

The gang left very few traces and made it difficult for police to track them by keeping on the move and holding meetings in difficult to access locations.

The suspects are currently being held in preliminary detention whilst the investigation continues.