Rumors appeared in the Spanish and then in the European press that the recent wave of violence in southern Spain, provoked by drug traffickers, was related to "Kalashnikov" assault rifles that had fallen into their hands. It is alleged that these weapons arrived from combat zones in Ukraine. The assumption was also made that Ukrainian weapons are available not only to criminal structures in Spain, but also in other European countries.
The competent Spanish authorities and independent experts noted to the DW that the presence of Ukrainian weapons on the Iberian Peninsula has not yet been established, but they do not exclude the possibility that this will happen in the future. Experts are more concerned about the possibility that drug traffickers could acquire knowledge about making drones, such as those used in the war in Ukraine.
Bloody battles of drug gangs
"The alarming situation in Andalusia, which serves mafia groups as a point for transferring drugs from Africa to Europe, is not at all related to Ukraine. And the weapon itself, no matter how powerful, does not provoke violence," a representative of the Civil Guard - an organization that also deals with the fight against drug and weapons smuggling - told DW. According to the expert, "the source of the weapons that criminal groups in Spain have at their disposal is completely different".
The Spanish Civil Guard explains that in recent years, along with Moroccan hashish from Africa, drug gangs have also begun to export Colombian cocaine to Europe. In addition to the Spaniards, Colombians, Mexicans and Brazilians were involved in this. Within these groups and in the relations between them, "morals are fierce - there are often bloody disputes based on competition and personal enmity, torture and mass executions are carried out". It even came to shootouts with the police.
The Civil Guard's opinion is that "the bloody traditions of the mafia determine the interest in automatic weapons of an army model". And drug traffickers acquire them where they are fully accessible - in Africa - and deliver them to Spain by speedboats or drones along with tons of drugs. After the arrest of members of criminal gangs, their weapons fall into the hands of law enforcement.
Shotguns from Africa
In response to the question of the State Duma about how accurately the origin of a Kalashnikov rifle seized from drug traffickers can be determined, the representative of the Civil Guard points out that “experts are not wrong on this issue”. Those involved in the drug business mainly use older models such as AK-47 – which were once supplied to Africa by the USSR and other Eastern European countries. This is confirmed by the modification of the seized rifles and their marking.
And modern A-74 rifles, such as those used in the war in Ukraine, or any other Ukrainian weapon “have never been discovered among criminals in Spain”. They, in turn, do not even hide the ways of replenishing their arsenal - they acquire firearms from African rebels in exchange for a few bottles of whiskey or cocaine. "As for the ammunition for the AK-47, there is no need to supply it from Ukraine - they are sold in arms stores in Spain," says the DW source.
The potential threat of illegal weapons in Europe
The political scientist from the University of Madrid Ricardo Gomez is more pessimistic about the possible penetration of illegal weapons into European countries. According to him, "such a phenomenon always accompanies armed conflicts." And it's not just about the weapons, but also about their owners.
For example, after the Balkan wars, gangs of armed individuals flocked to Spain, including former participants in these conflicts - "mostly Serbs and Kosovars who were unable to find a place in their homeland in peacetime." The fight against these "particularly dangerous criminals" continues to this day, Gomez emphasized to DW.
According to him, there are now reasons to suspect that "some former Latin American volunteers from the Ukrainian war, linked to drug cartels," may try to use their military experience in Spain, as well as stolen weapons and other military equipment. There has already been such a precedent. Not so long ago, the police managed to capture several drones that were delivering drugs to Spain from the African coast. According to Gomez, these devices were equipped with devices brought from Ukraine.
Drone operators for the drug mafia?
Spanish investigative journalist Pablo Muñoz shares these concerns. He published an article in the newspaper “ABS“ in which he claims that drug traffickers from various cartels in Colombia, Brazil and Mexico are sending their people to Ukraine as volunteers to master the skills of making and operating drones.
It is believed that these devices are used by drug cartels not only to transport cocaine, but also to deal with competitors and the police both in their countries and abroad, including in Spain, Muñoz notes.
According to the journalist, the Mexican authorities have informed their Ukrainian colleagues about the actions of the drug mafia. And stolen drawings and photos of drones, as well as tools for their use and electronic warfare, have already been seized from some of these “volunteers“. Another investigative journalist – Javier Bonilla – comes up with the assumption that members of the drug cartels “could have infiltrated not only the Ukrainian, but also the Russian army, disguised as volunteers“.
Author: Viktor Cheretsky