Ten suspected members of a drug trafficking organisation have been arrested following an armed attack on a Guardia Civil patrol boat during a high-speed pursuit off the coast of Huelva (Andalusia).
The joint operation by the Guardia Civil and the Tax Agency’s Customs Surveillance Service (SVA Aduanas) also resulted in the seizure of two high-powered boats used by drug traffickers and 5,926 kg of hashish.
The incident began during the night of 17-18 August, when a patrol boat belonging to the Guardia Civil’s Huelva Maritime Service, working in coordination with a Customs Surveillance vessel, began pursuing a suspicious semi-rigid speedboat believed to be involved in drug trafficking.
According to the Guardia Civil, those aboard the suspected ‘narcolancha’ carried out a series of dangerous evasive manoeuvres during the pursuit, putting the lives of the officers at serious risk.
The traffickers also began throwing part of their cargo into the sea in an attempt to obstruct the official vessels, hinder their pursuit and potentially cause damage to the boats.
The confrontation then escalated when those aboard the speedboat opened fire on the Guardia Civil patrol vessel.
Officers responded by firing several shots in order to repel the attack and bring the situation under control. The suspected drug traffickers nevertheless managed to escape after the Guardia Civil vessel developed a fault as a result of the pursuit.
Major operation launched to track down gang
Following the shooting, a special operation was launched to locate the fleeing vessel and its crew, recover any remaining illegal cargo and identify other boats that might attempt to assist them.
Investigators subsequently located the speedboat again, and on the morning of 20 August officers carried out a coordinated operation against both the vessel and a second boat that was providing support further out at sea.
Both boats were intercepted and nine suspected members of the organisation were arrested.
Officers also recovered a total of 5,926kg of hashish during the operation, dealing what the Guardia Civil described as a significant blow to one of the criminal organisations operating in the south of the country.
A tenth suspected member of the group was arrested separately after being wounded by gunfire during the earlier confrontation with the Guardia Civil.
According to investigators, his fellow gang members had abandoned him on the coast of Cádiz after he was injured. He was subsequently taken to a hospital in Puerto Real for treatment, where he was located and arrested.
The investigation remains open as officers seek to establish the precise involvement of each of the 10 suspects in the attack on the Guardia Civil patrol boat and determine their individual responsibilities within the alleged criminal organisation.
Rising violence linked to drug trafficking
The shooting comes amid growing concern over the increasingly dangerous tactics employed by drug trafficking organisations operating along the coast of southern Spain, where high-powered speedboats are frequently used to transport large quantities of hashish and other drugs.
Huelva has become an increasingly important area for trafficking operations. According to figures from Spain’s Intelligence Centre for Counter-Terrorism and Organised Crime (CITCO), 43 tonnes of hashish were seized in the province during 2025, twice the amount confiscated the previous year.
The increase in trafficking activity has been accompanied by a series of violent incidents and dangerous confrontations involving police and customs officers across Andalusia.
Three months ago, two Guardia Civil officers from the Huelva Maritime Service died after two vessels collided during a high-speed pursuit of a suspected drug-trafficking speedboat off the province’s coast. ALSO READ: Guardia Civil mourns two officers killed in drug boat chase tragedy off Andalusia.
Similar confrontations involving trafficking gangs and law enforcement officers have also been reported elsewhere in Andalusia in recent months. ALSO READ: Spain intercepts massive cocaine shipment off Gran Canaria, crew arrested.
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#OperacionesGC | Detenidas 10 personas tras atacar con armas de fuego a una patrullera
📍 Aguas de #Huelva y costas de #Cádiz.
👮🏻♂️ Operativo conjunto del #ServicioMarítimo, #UEI, #UOPJ, #CRAIN y #VigilanciaAduanera tras sufrir disparos durante una persecución.
🔍 Quienes huían… pic.twitter.com/TH7xLJDnsn
— Guardia Civil (@guardiacivil) August 22, 2026
⚠️ Riesgo máximo
🔥 Tensión
🔫 Disparos
🌊 RescatesAsí es el día a día del Servicio Marítimo de la Guardia Civil 🚤
La agresividad del narco no nos va a parar, pero necesitamos medios y personal.
También recordamos que este esfuerzo tiene que ser reconocido: somos quienes más… pic.twitter.com/nytKAjZK5r
— AUGC Guardia Civil 🇪🇸 (@AUGC_Comunica) August 22, 2026
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