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Spanish police have discovered a tunnel in the North African exclave of Ceuta, to smuggle tons of hashish from Morocco into Spain.
Police said the structure, concealed beneath an industrial warehouse, extended over three levels, including a descent shaft, an intermediate chamber for pallet storage, and the tunnel itself.
Authorities seized 17 metric tons of the drug, €1.4 million (£1.2m) in cash, and arrested 27 people in connection with the operation.
The tunnel had a rail system and underground crane used to transport the hashish.
Spain is a major entry point for hashish, which is derived from cannabis resin, into Europe.
Ceuta, along with the Spanish exclave of Melilla to the east, surrounded by Morocco, forms the European Union's only land border with Africa.
Hashish is usually trafficked into Spain by sea using speedboats.
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In 2023, Spain accounted for 68% of all resin seizures in the EU, according to the latest data from the EU drugs agency.
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Smugglers have sometimes used unconventional methods to bring other drugs into Spain.
In the northwestern region of Galicia, submarines or semi-submersible vessels have been used to transport cocaine from South America, underscoring Spain's role as a transit hub.
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