Spanish Police Failed to Prevent Theft of 290 kg of 'Bulgarian' Cocaine

On August 13, the Sveti Nikolay vessel was intercepted off Spain's southern coast with 3 tons of cocaine onboard. Photo by BGNES

Spanish police police had been aware for months that a part of the seized drug shipment from the Bulgarian Sveti Nikolay ship ran the risk of disappearing from the judicial storage unit in Cadiz.

However, a lack of means prevented a timely reaction, as a result of which 290 kilograms of cocaine and hashish disappeared in end-September from the warehouse in the city of Cadiz where the shipment was being stored, according to reports of Spanish daily El Pais.

"They warned us that we were going to be robbed. There is a permanent transit of people at that storage in Cadiz. But now everyone is ducking to avoid responsibilities," an inside source of the Spanish daily says.

The thieves who stole 290 kilograms of cocaine and hashish from the judicial storage unit had a key to the place and just went in and took the drugs.

According to the Spanish daily, thefts of seized drugs are a recurring problem.

After the incident in Cadiz, the government signed a protocol with the General Council of the Judiciary, the Medicine Agency and the Attorney General's Office to ensure that seized drugs got destroyed within two months.

However, according to El Pais, this is a mere recommendation and the final decision on the matter is up to the corresponding judge.

On August 13, the Sveti Nikolay vessel was intercepted off Spain's southern coast with 3 tons of cocaine onboard.

A total of 31 sailors, including 21 Bulgarians, were arrested onboard the cocaine-loaded   ship.

They have been remanded into custody by the Spanish court until the investigation of the matter is wrapped up.

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