The Guardia Civil in Granada, together with Spanish Inland Revenue, confiscated over 95 tonnes of contraband tobacco in one swoop, arresting two people.

The police began their investigation after they received a report from the Asociación de Estanqueros for Granada, emphasizing a considerable drop in loose/shag tobacco; i.e.,rolling & pipe tobacco.

The police investigation was set up in January and soon uncovered a network for the acquisition, processing and sale of tobacco for the black market. The police located three store sheds in Chauchina (that’s the area near the airport) where whole leaves were being converted into shag.

The merchandise was then moved on to companies or persons in Granada, Almería, Sevilla and Jaén.

The company involved, which in a short period of time, had achieved a sizable turnover in this fashion.

Finally, on the 23rd of last month, the police moved in on the three store sheds, seizing 66 tonnes and 29 tonnes of illegal tobacco. Besides the tobacco itself, the police also confiscated machinery for transforming the leaves into shag and five vans used to transport the goods.

To get an idea how much 95 tonnes of loose tobacco is… it is equivalent to 8.5 million packets of cigarettes.

Editorial comment: it is worth remembering that this area of Granada (Vega Sur) is one of the few areas where tobacco is grown in the whole of Europe. However, the industry is disappearing and many of the emblematic drying sheds now stand disused.

It is one of the great ironies that the Spanish state spends so much money on anti-smoking campaigns whilst the Spanish tobacco industry receives financial help in the form of agricultural subsidies for tobacco farmers. Go figure.

(News: Chauchina, Vega, Granada, Andalucia)