Just one clandestine operation spread across Andalucia, from Malaga to Cadiz and from Seville to Granada. A number of people have been arrested and nearly 35,000 kilos of tobacco and 26,000 packs of tobacco worth over half a million euros have been seized, said Spanish reports.

The reports claim that some pre-packed tobacco had been secured from Gibraltar, but the bulk of it was 'made in Spain' - and also sold there.

The Spanish authorities are said to have been raiding illegal factories as part of an operation involving other Euopean countries to which tobacco was being sent.

Europol got itself involved which led to the Spanish trying to identify the areas where the illicit stuff was being produced. Nearly 10,000 cigarettes per hour were being produced with sophisticated machinery in one place.

A factory discovered in the Malaga area was said to be equipped with sleeping and living quarters.

Large profits in excess of 600,000 euros per week were repoted by other information. Staff were well paid, although badly paid staff were said to exist in other places.

The whole thing shows that Spain has always attracted tobacco business, although in recent years action about illegal factories has been on the increase.

02-09-2020 PANORAMAdailyGIBRALTAR