Ten arrested after drug traffickers open fire on Guardia Civil patrol boat off Huelva coast

Ten suspected drug traffickers have been arrested following a gun battle with a Guardia Civil patrol boat off the coast of Huelva, Spain. The incident occurred during a high-speed chase between a Guardia Civil vessel and a suspicious semi-rigid speedboat, believed to be involved in drug trafficking. The traffickers engaged in dangerous evasive maneuvers, threw part of their drug cargo into the sea, and ultimately opened fire on the patrol boat, putting the lives of the officers at serious risk.

The Guardia Civil returned fire, and the traffickers managed to escape the vessel after it suffered a mechanical fault. A joint operation involving the Guardia Civil and the Tax Agency's Customs Surveillance Service (SVA Aduanas) led to the recovery of two high-powered speedboats and 5,926kg of hashish. Nine suspected members of the drug trafficking organisation were arrested in the coordinated operation, while a tenth was arrested separately after being wounded in the initial confrontation.

The investigation into the incident is ongoing as authorities seek to determine the exact involvement of each suspect in the attack and their roles within the alleged criminal organisation.