Barcelona.- Spain’s Civil Guard has busted a drugtrafficking ring that used retired and unemployed persons to retrieve packagesof cocaine sent to Spain from Argentina and the Dominican Republic.
The raids carried out in Barcelona (northeast) and nearbytowns netted 15 people, including an 82 year-old man, the Guard said.
The agents seized nearly five kilos of cocaine, sent insmall parcels that were then picked up in post offices by retirees orunemployed people.
It said a citizen of Dominican origin known as "ElMaestro" headed the ring that trafficked drugs, mainly cocaine, in Barcelonaand surroundings.
During the investigation, Guard agents found behind a beautysalon, a lab where the cocaine was cut.
To receive the mailed package the recipient used realidentities and an address where they didn’t reside, so the package was returnedto the post office, where it was finally picked up by a retiree or an unemployedperson.