Twenty people have been arrested by the National police in Murcia ,Elda and Villena on smuggling charges.They are charged with smuggling nine kilos of cocaine into Spain from Colombia.The police say that the nine kilos was part of a much larger consignment of 300 kilos that the gang was preparing to smuggle in.The drugs had a street value of over 1 million euros.

The investigation began some months ago when an undercover officer discovered a link between a known drug dealer and a small quantity of cocaine.Telephone taps revealed that this man was part of a gang based in Murcia with connections in Elda and Villena.It also revealed that they were arranging a big deal with a group in Colombia.

The gang used the transport links provided by an international importer,bringing it in via Valencia and then moving it to secure locations in Alicante Province.The drugs were intercepted in Villena on the same day the twenty men were arrested.

Searches of properties in Villena ,Elda and Murcia revealed a number of weapons and high powered vehicles,along with quantities of other drugs.All 20 have been remanded in custody while officers continue to investigate the whole operation.It is expected that more arrests will be made.