Civil Guard seizes 354 kilos of hashish in Antigua and arrests off-road vehicle driver

The Civil Guard in Fuerteventura has arrested a man suspected of an offence against public health involving drug trafficking, after stopping an off-road vehicle carrying 354 kilograms of hashish in the municipality of Antigua.

The operation took place in the early hours of 8 October, when officers detected the arrival of a suspicious inflatable boat at a beach on the municipality’s coastline.

In response, the Civil Guard set up a surveillance operation and closed off access routes to the area, deploying several patrols from across the island to try to intercept those possibly involved in the landing.

The operation led officers to locate and stop an off-road vehicle as it attempted to leave the coastal area.

Six large bales and several packages of hashish in the vehicle

After stopping the vehicle, officers identified the driver and searched its interior.

During the inspection, they found a large consignment of drugs, packed into six oversized bales and several packages distributed around the vehicle’s cabin.

The total weight of the seized drugs was 354 kilograms of hashish.

In light of the evidence, officers arrested the driver on suspicion of an offence against public health involving drug trafficking.

Judge orders driver held in custody without bail

After completing the relevant proceedings, the Civil Guard brought the detainee before the judicial authorities.

The competent court ordered that he be remanded in custody without bail.

The Civil Guard announced the operation on Monday, 26 October, although the events took place in the early hours of the 8th.

No information has so far been released about the detainee’s identity or nationality, the specific beach where the boat was detected, or whether other people may have been involved in the landing.

The operation resulted in the seizure of 354 kilos of hashish and the remand in custody of the driver of the off-road vehicle stopped during the police operation along the coast of Antigua.