One of Spain’s most wanted men has surrendered to police days after he surfaced in a reggaeton video featuring scantily clad women, a Bentley and a swimming pool.
The arrest of Francisco Tejón, who is alleged to lead the Castañas gang that dominates the hashish trade between Morocco and southern Spain, is likely to bolster officers tackling drug-related violence in and around the troubled town of La Línea de la Concepción.
Tejón, whom police had sought for two years, turned himself in on Wednesday morning. His arrest follows that of his younger brother, Antonio, who was detained in June after a huge police operation in La Línea.
Local officers arrested the 39-year-old after being given an address by his lawyers, the national police force said.
“His arrest means that the Policía Nacional have dismantled the top level of the biggest hashish-smuggling gang that operates in the Campo de Gibraltar area,” it said.
“Investigators had focused all their efforts on his arrest following that of his brother in June. Police activity has been ceaseless, with officers tracking the movements of Francisco’s inner circle and managing to move closer and closer to the homes and addresses used.”
Tejón – known as Isco – had appeared to taunt officers by taking part in a music video with the Cuban reggaeton singer Clase-A, which was uploaded to YouTube at the beginning of October.
The video showed Tejón and the singer climbing out of a Bentley and performing a high-five before walking into a house full of champagne and women in bikinis.
Although La Línea has been a smuggling hub for centuries, there has been a surge in trafficking – and clashes with police officers – over recent years.
The town has from some of the highest levels of unemployment in Spain – with up to 80% of young people out of work in some neighbourhoods – and approximately 3,000 of La Línea’s 64,000 inhabitants are thought to be involved in the 30 or so gangs that run the drug trade.
In April last year, 100 people threw stones at police as they moved to seize a consignment of hashish on a beach. Police patrol cars have been rammed by 4x4 vehicles to thwart confiscations.
Eight months ago, 20 masked men stormed the hospital in La Línea to free a suspected drug trafficker, while a group of off-duty Guardia Civil officers was attacked by a crowd armed with baseball bats and broken bottles in nearby Algeciras in May.
Police unions have made repeated calls for reinforcements and more resources to tackle the smugglers, warning that the situation will deteriorate still further unless action is taken.
Last year, police seized 145,372kg (320,500lb) of hashish in the region and 11,785kg of cocaine.
