The official report for 2025 highlights that criminal organizations have intensified their offensive capabilities, utilizing war-grade weaponry and deliberately ramming patrol boats belonging to the State Security Forces and Corps. This escalation in violence has been evident in recent incidents recorded in both Andalusian waters and the Guadiana River.
Police pressure in the Gulf of Cadiz and the Guadalquivir River estuary has forced criminal groups to shift their operations. According to the document, these organizations have moved much of their activity toward the province of Huelva and the Algarve region in Portugal, seeking new landing zones due to constant surveillance in the Strait.
“"It should be noted that aggression and harassment toward members of the security forces have persisted. Traffickers sometimes do not hesitate to ram land vehicles and boats when they perceive a risk of interception."
Beyond maritime trafficking, the report highlights the persistence of land routes transporting hashish hidden in trucks from Cadiz, Granada, and Almeria toward the rest of Europe. Additionally, there has been a notable increase in fuel seizures in the area, which is essential for supplying the drug speedboats.
Finally, the government warns about the diversification of these criminal networks, which may be utilizing the same logistical infrastructure used for drug trafficking to facilitate activities related to illegal immigration, thereby increasing vulnerability in the Atlantic corridor.
