The Spanish Civil Guard reported the activities of a criminal group engaged in the illicit manufacture of tobacco products at Europe's first underground tobacco factory. The Olive Press released information about the crime.
Law enforcers searched 13 houses and arrested 20 people as part of the operation Hannibal in Malaga province. The Civil Guard seized 153 boxes of tobacco, more than 17 tons of smoking tobacco, 20 kilograms of hashish, and 144 kilograms of marijuana as a proof.
The investigation revealed that the suspects have British, Lithuanian, and Ukrainian nationalities.
The facility, the first to be found in Europe, was hidden under horse stables and allowed the manufacture of more than 3,500 cigarettes per hour.
Police found six employees of Ukrainian nationality at the scene who were locked in the building and completely isolated from the outside world. They had severe breathing difficulties.
