Blow to drug gang: Two million euros worth of marijuana from Spain seized

Arrests and Investigations

Interior Minister Gerhard Karner (ÖVP) praised the operation as a targeted blow against organized crime. Cooperation between Spanish and Austrian authorities had proven effective, the Interior Ministry said. Karner announced that the investigations would be expanded to include possible ringleaders and further connections.

According to the Federal Criminal Police Office, the drug route between Spain and Austria via Italy is a known corridor for smuggling cannabis products. Investigators assume that the transport now seized was part of a larger overarching network. Criminal police analyses on this are ongoing.

Background: Smuggling Routes via Italy

According to the public prosecutor's office, the arrested suspects are being investigated on suspicion of cross-border drug trafficking, among other charges. The authorities are also examining possible links to previous seizures in order to fully expose the structures.

The case is part of a series of similar investigative successes in recent months, in which criminal investigators have repeatedly intercepted transports from Southern Europe. The authorities see this as evidence that cross-border cooperation under EUROPOL and through bilateral contacts is bearing fruit. Further details on the current proceedings are expected in the coming days.