Officers, within the framework of operation Ganuz-Califa Duke 24, also arrested 20 alleged members of the group and released 11 workers of Bulgarian origin who were being held in one of the factories where the counterfeit tobacco was being produced and which was allegedly destined for sale on the black market in Portugal and France.

This was the outcome of the latest phases of an investigation, which is still ongoing, carried out in March and April by the economic and anti-corruption investigation department of the Central Operational Unit (UCO), which led to the dismantling of the network involved in the manufacture and distribution of contraband tobacco.

According to the Civil Guard's General Directorate, the suspects were arrested in the towns of Antequera (Malaga), Humanes (Madrid), Azuqueca de Henares (Guadalajara) and Montilla y Lucena (Córdoba).

The factories, which were searched and eventually dismantled, were located in Humanes and Lucena and had large, highly sophisticated facilities.

The entire illicit production chain operated in these facilities, from cutting and improving the tobacco leaf to manufacturing, packaging and distributing the cigarettes.

In addition to the work area, both factories had areas where workers were forced to live and from which they could not leave during their entire stay in Spain.

During the search of the Humanes facilities, investigators released 11 workers of Bulgarian origin.

The Lucena facilities were built to prevent access from outside and make it difficult to detect this illicit activity, as they could only be accessed through a neighbouring warehouse that appeared to house a legal economic activity.

In the factory, in turn, there was a false wall behind which they had built a basement where the workers could hide if there was any inspection.

In the two facilities, officers seized 33 tonnes of tobacco leaves and six million counterfeit cigarettes, with a total value of almost 7.6 million euros.

The cigarettes, supposedly destined for sale on the black market in Portugal and France, pretended to be major brands.

However, the inspectors also found, for the first time in this type of operation, packages with unmarked packaging.

A large quantity of essential non-perishable food was also seized at the Lucena factory, which the Civil Guard handed over to the Diocesan Caritas of Córdoba.

The operation was carried out with the collaboration of the commands of Córdova, Badajoz, Guadalajara and Madrid, as well as European agencies such as Europol and OLAF (European Anti-Fraud Office) and police authorities from Ukraine and Bulgaria.

You can see images of the Civil Guard operation in the gallery above.

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