On Wednesday, November 12, the Spanish Ministry of the Interior announced details of Operation “Rush,” which, in collaboration with the Moroccan Gendarmerie, led to the dismantling of an organization that transported 200 kg of cannabis each night using drones.
According to the Ministry, the Civil Guard, in cooperation with the Moroccan Gendarmerie, detected the professional operation of the drones over the Strait of Gibraltar. Investigations revealed that the drones were launched from Alcalá de los Gazules (Cádiz), where the organization operated an operations center in a house. Here, they stored equipment and conducted manufacturing, assembly, and repair of the drones used, with advanced workshop facilities.
The criminal group typically operated at dawn, taking advantage of favorable weather conditions and low visibility. From a remote area in the countryside of Alcalá de los Gazules, they would launch up to ten drones simultaneously, which would fly to Morocco to load drugs.
During the return trip, the drones dropped their payload in the areas of Vejer de la Frontera and Tarifa, utilizing mechanisms designed by specialists within the organization that allowed for the cargo to be released mid-flight. The packages were attached with fluorescent lights and a GPS system linked to a frequency radio that emitted signals as it approached.
Due to low visibility at dawn, those responsible for collecting the drugs used night vision goggles to easily identify the fluorescent lights affixed to the packages. The material was subsequently transported to rented rural homes, used as temporary storage to avoid suspicion and ensure later distribution.
After releasing the cargo, the drones continued flying until they returned to a landing point in Alcalá, where they were retrieved by other members of the organization stationed in the area.
### High Operational Capability and Technical Expertise
The criminal organization operated near-daily drug shipments, adapting its operations to weather conditions. On days with light winds, the group enhanced its logistics and conducted continuous night flights between Morocco and the province of Cádiz.
On some days, the organization launched up to ten drones that remained airborne simultaneously, making several consecutive trips to transport drugs from Moroccan territory. This way, they successfully brought in around 200 kilograms of cannabis in a single night.
Though the main components of the drones were purchased from Asian companies, they were later modified in the organization’s workshop in Alcalá de los Gazules to enhance their autonomy, endurance, and payload capacity.
The organization’s technical specialists modified the electronic systems and reinforced the structures with lightweight materials, producing unique, highly efficient models for drug transportation.
### End of the Organization
On Monday, November 10, 2025, raids were carried out in the municipalities of Alcalá de los Gazules, Vejer de la Frontera, La Línea de la Concepción, and San Roque. The operation resulted in the arrest of organization members, the seizure of more than 150 kg of cannabis, €320,000 in cash, eight complete homemade drones, ten others in assembly, as well as spare parts, tools, and electronic equipment for assembly and monitoring.
Source
