The Spanish authorities revealed details of an operation named “HORUS,” which enabled the seizure of a network specialized in smuggling hashish and cocaine between Morocco and Spain using “automated drones.”
The revealed network was using drones programmed with GPS coordinates, capable of flying at an altitude exceeding 1000 meters and at a speed exceeding 100 kilometers per hour. Crossing the Strait of Gibraltar takes only about 20 minutes, as the cargo is dropped without needing to land, making it less susceptible to detection.
The police managed to confiscate one of these drones, which is a large device with a wingspan of 4 meters, equipped with four engines, and capable of carrying a load of up to 20 kilograms of drugs on each flight.
This type of drone is considered a qualitative advancement over previous primitive models, with an estimated price of around 20,000 euros each.
Once the drugs reached Spanish territory, they were hidden inside cars equipped with meticulously crafted double floors, then transported by land to Vitoria, where they were later distributed to French criminal networks.
This type of operation is an indicator of a strategic shift in the methods of smuggling networks across the Strait of Gibraltar, moving from reliance on “narcolanchas” (speed boats) to automated drones that reduce human risks and increase the speed and efficiency of operations.
Spanish security sources confirmed that such techniques have become a new challenge for the authorities, due to the difficulty of detecting them compared to traditional means.
