The Government warns of more than 600 narco-boats in the Strait and of the increase in violence against agents

The Department of National Security has recognized in one of its latest reports the existence of more than 600 go-fast type vessels allegedly linked to drug trafficking in the Strait of Gibraltar area. The document also warns of increasing aggression from criminal organizations against the State Security Forces and Corps, including ramming patrol boats and police vehicles when they perceive a risk of losing the drugs or being intercepted.

The report indicates that in 2025 the hashish route from Morocco to Spain has been strongly reactivated after several years of decline in seizures. According to the Executive, Morocco continues to be the main global producer of this substance and mafias have once again intensified their maritime operations in the vicinity of the Strait and the Andalusian coast.

Among the recent episodes cited by National Security is the death of a Portuguese Gendarmerie agent in the Guadiana river after his vessel was rammed by a narco-boat. It also recalls the death last week of two Civil Guard agents when they were pursuing a vessel linked to drug trafficking off the coast of Huelva.

Although the Government maintains that the total number of violent attacks has not drastically increased compared to other years, it does warn of a “greater offensive capacity” of these criminal networks. The report even includes the use of war weapons by some groups dedicated to drug trafficking, a phenomenon that particularly concerns authorities due to the level of organization and violence achieved.

The document also warns of a “growing vulnerability” in areas such as the Strait of Gibraltar and the Canary Islands-Atlantic arc. According to the DSN, some organizations are using routes initially intended for drug trafficking for activities related to illegal immigration, thus expanding their illicit businesses and increasing pressure on Spanish coasts.

Furthermore, the report highlights that police operations in the Gulf of Cadiz and the Guadalquivir have caused the displacement of many mafias towards Huelva, the Guadiana river, and the Portuguese Algarve. Spanish and Portuguese authorities currently maintain constant collaboration to try to curb the expansion of these networks, whose activity already also reaches areas of the Levante, the Balearic Islands, and even southern France and Italy.