SPAIN: DRUGS AND GOVERNMENT RESPONSE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP89T00295R000300310002-2
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 23
• Document Creation Date: December 27, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 7, 2011
• Sequence Number: 2
• Publication Date: September 1, 1986
• Content Type: REPORT

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/07/27: CIA-RDP89T00295R000300310002-2
EUR 86-10034
September 1986
Intelligence 25X1
Spain:
Drugs and
Government Response
293
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/07/27: CIA-RDP89T00295R000300310002-2
 25X1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/07/27: CIA-RDP89T00295R000300310002-2
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/07/27: CIA-RDP89T00295R000300310002-2
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/07/27: CIA-RDP89T00295R000300310002-2
Directorate of Secret
Intelligence
Spain:
Drugs and
Government Response
This paper was prepared by
25X1
Office of European Analysis,
25X1
1
Comments and queries are
25X1
welcome and may be directed to the Chief, European
Issues Division, EUR STAT
STAT
Reverse Blank Secret
EUR 86-10034
September 1986
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/07/27: CIA-RDP89T00295R000300310002-2
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/07/27: CIA-RDP89T00295R000300310002-2
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/07/27: CIA-RDP89T00295R000300310002-2 -
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/07/27: CIA-RDP89T00295R000300310002-2
Secret
Summary
Information available as
of 1 August 1986 was
used in this report.
Spain:
Drugs and
Government Response
accord the narcotics issue a higher priority.
Spain has long served as a transshipment point for illicit drugs bound for
Western Europe and the United States, but the level of drug abuse,
trafficking, and related crime recently reached alarming proportions. Upon
coming into office the Socialist government of Prime Minister Felipe
Gonzalez immediately softened the draconian Franco-era laws against
possession and use of drugs and was then unwilling to admit that drug-re-
lated problems were becoming severe. In the past two years, pressure from
the public and the political opposition, growing media attention, and the
marked increase in drug abuse and trafficking have forced Madrid to
major West European countries.
Since the possession of drugs for personal use was decriminalized in 1983,
the use of marijuana and hashish has become widespread. In recent years
Spain has also experienced a dramatic increase in cocaine and heroin
addiction; it now has the second-largest heroin addict population among
involvement in trade and money laundering.
The narcotics trade has also flourished. According to INTERPOL, Spain
has become the principal entry point of South American cocaine bound for
the West European market. A large volume of Moroccan and Middle
Eastern marijuana and hashish also transits the country, as does heroin
from Southwest Asia. US Embassy and press reporting indicates that this
illicit trade is controlled by international drug trafficking networks linked
to drug-producing countries, but some Spaniards, West Europeans, and US
citizens are also involved. In addition, recent reports have confirmed Mafia
In July 1985 the government adopted a national plan to strengthen
enforcement measures and improve prevention and treatment programs.
The government has also allocated an additional $32 million to counter the
threat, and a police reform law was passed earlier this year designed to im-
prove coordination among law enforcement units. Pending bills calling for
tougher penalties against drug dealers and the seizure of their assets will
also go far toward strengthening the government's hand.
Spain also has increased its cooperation with other countries, particularly
the United States. Better coordination and cooperation between Spanish
law enforcement agencies responsible for narcotics interdiction and their
European counterparts as well as with the US Drug Enforcement Adminis-
tration have resulted in several important seizures, the destruction
Secret
EUR 86-10034
September 1986
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/07/27: CIA-RDP89T00295R000300310002-2
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/07/27: CIA-RDP89T00295R000300310002-2
Secret
of cannabis crops and cocaine and heroin processing labs, and the arrest of
several major drug traffickers. Public opinion polls show that Spaniards
favor additional government measures to combat hard drugs and drug-
related problems, although there is little support for the proscription of
hashish and marijuana.
Although the government's recent actions suggest that it is committed to,
combating the narcotics threat, the strong demand and growing worldwide
surplus of drugs, the ingenuity and tenacity of drug traffickers, budget
constraints, and competing priorities are likely to continue to hamper the
overall campaign. To some extent, the combination of international
assistance and pressure, particularly from the United States, will strength-
en Madrid's willingness and ability to confront the problem. Progress will
be slow and halting, however, and Spain is likely to remain a major
transshipment point for drugs bound for Western Europe and the United
States for some time.
- Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/07/27: CIA-RDP89T00295R000300310002-2 -
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/07/27: CIA-RDP89T00295R000300310002-2
Secret
25X1
Summary iii
Trafficking 4
Public Perceptions of the Drug Problem 7
Strengthened Control Measures . 7
Outlook and Implications for the United States 13
- Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/07/27: CIA-RDP89T00295R000300310002-2
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/07/27: CIA-RDP89T00295R000300310002-2
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/07/27: CIA-RDP89T00295R000300310002-2
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/07/27: CIA-RDP89T00295R000300310002-2
Spain:
Drugs and
Government Response
before the court.
Introduction
Spain, like most other West European countries, has
experienced a dramatic increase in drug abuse, drug
trafficking, and drug-related crime in the past decade
and especially in the past few years.' Spain's Franco-
era legacy included one of Western Europe's toughest
policies on drug abuse and trafficking. Users and
traffickers were considered immoral and decadent by
the puritanical Franco regime and were punished
accordingly. Penalties for drug possession for use or
for sale carried lengthy maximum sentences, and
offenders were frequently subjected to police interro-
gations and interminable detention. The gradual lib-
eralization of the Spanish society in the 1970s, partic-
ularly following the restoration of democratic rule,
and the accession of power of the Socialist govern-
ment of Prime Minister Felipe Gonzalez in 1982
prompted Madrid to adopt one of the most lenient
positions on drugs. Legislation was passed to decrimi-
nalize the use of drugs and "humanize" the penal
code, and, as of July 1983, possession of drugs for
personal use was no longer a crime. Laws relating to
preventive detention and probationary release also
were relaxed. It is still illegal to cultivate, manufac-
ture, or traffic in drugs or to possess these substances
for such purposes, but the 1983 legislation does not
distinguish between amounts that can be held for
"personal use" and amounts that constitute traffick-
ing. This determination is made on an individual basis
by the presiding magistrate as cases are brought
Since 1983, consumption of marijuana and hashish
has soared; heroin and cocaine use has also increased
dramatically as Spaniards have begun experimenting
with these more readily available drugs. Spain's role
in the drug trade has changed markedly as well
during this period, because traffickers viewed the
1983 policy shift as an indication that they could
transship or sell drugs with relative impunity. Larger
quantities of heroin from Southwest Asia, cocaine
from South America, and Moroccan and Middle
Eastern cannabis products are crossing Spanish bor-
ders, judging by increased seizures by law enforce-
ment authorities. Much of the narcotics entering the
country is destined for other West European coun-
tries, particularly the Netherlands, and for the United
States.
The growing seriousness of Spain's drug problem and
charges of government laxity have prompted the
Gonzalez government-previously concerned almost
exclusively with the threat caused by separatist and
terrorist groups-to devote more attention and re-
sources to this issue and to move away from its liberal
policies. Despite the government's recent policy shift,
however, illicit drug consumption, trafficking, and
drug-related crime in Spain remain high. Moreover,
official measures to combat the problem have not yet
been fully implemented. This study looks at recent
narcotics consumption and control policies in Spain,
including efforts by Madrid to reduce narcotics sup-
ply and demand, its involvement in international
attempts to curb consumption and trafficking, and the
obstacles it is likely to encounter.
The Abuse Problem. Although Embassy reporting
indicates that Spain began to experience a significant
drug abuse problem in the mid-1970s, it did not
become serious until the mid-1980s. As Spaniards
developed an awareness of the conditions in other
Western countries and were introduced to drugs by
the tourists crossing their borders and by Spanish
students who had been living abroad, drug use be-
came more socially acceptable, and many developed a
desire to experiment as part of the new liberalism
25X1
25X1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/07/27: CIA-RDP89T00295R000300310002-2
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/07/27: CIA-RDP89T00295R000300310002-2
Secret
following the restoration of democratic rule. In addi-
tion, extensive unemployment among youth and the
increased availability and decreasing prices of drugs
prompted many Spaniards to turn to drugs. Leaders
of the political opposition also blame the Socialists for
the surge because of their easing of the legal barriers
to narcotics possession. In any case, drug abuse,
addiction, and resulting deaths have reached what
many observers describe as epidemic proportions.
Spain now has the second-largest addict population
among the five largest West European countries, both
in absolute terms and on a per capita basis (see
table 1).
Embassy officials believe that official Spanish esti-
mates of drug use, addiction rates, and overdose
deaths represent only part of the picture. Overdose
deaths, for example, are not always properly reported
because medical personnel are not trained to deal with
drug problems and sometimes conceal the true cause
of such deaths in order to save the victim's family
from embarrassment. In addition, Spanish medical
institutions are not required to report statistics on use,
addiction rates, or overdose deaths to the government.
In any case, a government-funded drug abuse study
released in March 1985, which Spanish officials
consider authoritative, concluded that over 4 million
Spaniards, or about 10 percent of the population, use
drugs. The study reports that 3.7 million Spaniards
use derivatives of cannabis and more than 1 million
take amphetamines. According to another major
study published in 1985, abuse of marijuana and
hashish, in particular, increased after the possession
of small amounts of drugs for personal use was
decriminalized in 1983.
Heroin abuse is also on the rise. In the mid-1970s,
when abuse of hard drugs was socially unacceptable
and entailed greater risk of punishment, health and
government officials estimated only some 500 people,
mostly foreigners, were addicted to heroin. The esti-
mated number of addicts has increased dramatically
in recent years as hard drug use has become wide-
spread, although the exent of the rise probably also
reflects better statistics. By 1982, Spanish officials
Table 1
Heroin Addicts in Western Europe, 1984
Number
of People
Number
Rate per Thousand
Italy
180,000-240,000
3.5
Spain
80,000-100,000
2.6
United Kingdom
60,000
1.1
West Germany
50,000-55,000
0.9
Frances
16,000-19,000
0.4
a We believe the very low addiction rate for France is because of the
tendency of French officials to play down the severity of the
problem.
estimated that between 30,000 and 40,000 people
were addicted to the drug. The estimated number of
addicts rose to between 80,000 and 100,000 in 1984
and reached 185,000 by 1985. In the Basque prov-
inces, a region with one of the most serious drug
problems, officials estimated that there were 11,000
to 13,000 heroin addicts in 1984.
Cocaine abuse is a more recent phenomenon in Spain
but it, too, has increased dramatically in recent years.
In 1978, when cocaine was not readily available,
Spanish officials estimated that between 1,000 and
2,000 persons used the drug. In 1985 the Health
Ministry reported that approximately 80,000 Span-
iards were addicted to cocaine, while the March 1985
medical study estimated that over 400,000 Spaniards
used the drug.
As drug abuse has increased, the number of drug-
related deaths has also risen. Government figures
made available to DEA officials indicate that 79
deaths were attributed to drug ;overdose in 1982, 93
deaths in 1983, and 170 in 1984. Overdose deaths
were down to 143 in 1985, however, suggesting that
the stepped-up prevention and control efforts are
beginning to have an effect (see figure 1).
25X1
- - Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/07/27: CIA-RDP89T00295R000300310002-2 -
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/07/27: CIA-RDP89T00295R000300310002-2
Figure 1
Drug Abuse in Spain: Estimated
Drug-Related Deaths, 1979-85
The increase in drug consumption and addiction has
produced a marked increase in drug-related crime.
The number of those arrested for trafficking, posses-
sion, and use increased from nearly 9,000 in 1978 to
over 11,000 in 1982, and the trend is again upward
after a slight drop in 1983 when the government
temporarily took a more relaxed view of drug abuse
(see figure 2). According to press reports, the Interior
Minister, Jose Barrionuevo Pena, and police officials
estimate that between 75 and 80 percent of serious
crime in Spain is now drug related. This includes, in
addition to trafficking and possession, muggings and
robberies to finance drug purchases as well as phar-
macy thefts and holdups to obtain drugs. Although
individual policemen have been arrested for traffick-
ing offenses and rumors circulate that some law
enforcement officials and judges have been bribed,
the scale of corruption is relatively low, according to
Embassy reporting.
Drug Abuse and Trafficking in the Armed Forces
The Spanish Ministry of Defense is very concerned
that drug abuse in the armed forces is posing a
serious threat to Spain's national security. According
to a study by the Commission for the Prevention and
Control of Drugs in the Army released in April 1984,
the Spanish armed forces in 1983 had more than
6,000 drug traffickers and some 150,000 drug users
(almost half of all servicemen). The study indicated
that the number of regular users in the services
approached 50,000. The study also stated that 1,400
soldiers were treated at military hospitals for drug
dependence or poisoning in 1983 and that almost
1,000 of them were discharged from the service.
The Defense Ministry states that it is difficult to
crack down on drug peddling and use in the armed
forces because there is a gap in the military's legal
code. According to press reporting, the Commission
has informed military units to apply Article 443 of
the Code of Military Justice to drug users, which
recommends a 15-day prison sentence for the first STAT
drug offense, 30 days for the second offense, and two
months for third-time offenders. In addition, there is
no specific military legislation for drug peddling
inside the barracks or by military personnel, and the
courts must resort to the civilian penal code. US
Embassy officials report that military chiefs have the
political will to combat drug and alcohol abuse in
their commands, but that
25X1
they lack money and trained personnel.
25X1
although the original plan to
25X1
combat military drug and alcohol abuse comprised
screening military conscripts, security inspections,
and education/counseling, only the first two measures
are being implemented with any frequency. In addi-
tion, screening military con-
scripts is inadequate because military personnel fre-
quently develop drug abuse problems during their
career.
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/07/27: CIA-RDP89T00295R000300310002-2 -
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/07/27: CIA-RDP89T00295R000300310002-2
Secret
Figure 2
Number of Arrests for Drug-Related Offenses, By Nationality, 1978-85
a First ten months.
Source: Spanish law enforcement agencies.
Tricking. Spanish officials acknowledge that their
country has served increasingly in the last few years
as a transshipment point for illicit drugs destined for
European and North American markets. According to
US Embassy reporting, Spain has become the most
important point for narcotics entering Europe. DEA
and Embassy officials note several reasons for the
dramatic increase:
? As other West European countries such as West
Germany and Italy have improved their antinarco-
tics efforts and customs procedures, resilient traf-
fickers have altered their routes accordingly.
? The laxity of the new laws pertaining to drug
possession has encouraged traffickers to look to
Spain as a convenient port of call.
? Lax border controls along Spain's long coastline
enable traffickers to smuggle drugs into the country
with little fear of being caught.
? Traffickers can easily hide among the more than
40 million visitors to Spain each year.
Foreigners
Spaniards
Total
? Spain's extensive airline connections facilitate traf-
ficking.
International trafficking rings moved quickly to ex-
ploit these conditions, as shown by the major increase
in the volume of cocaine and heroin seized in recent
years and by the dramatic increase in the volume of
cannabis seized last year following the government's
policy shift on drugs. In the first 10 months of 1985,
more than 250 kilograms of heroin and some 300
kilograms of cocaine were seized, compared with 109
and 275 kilograms, respectively, in 1983. Cannabis
seizures, over 60,000 kilograms in 1985, were triple
the 1983 figure (see table 2). Despite the increase in
seizures, Spanish and INTERPOL officials believe
that the quality and quantity of narcotics transiting
Spain undetected have continued to grow, probably
because traffickers have devised new methods to
smuggle cocaine and heroin into the country.
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/07/27: CIA-RDP89T00295R000300310002-2
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/07/27: CIA-RDP89T00295R000300310002-2
Secret
Table 2
Spain: Narcotics Seized, 1978-85
Cannabis
7,090
18,760
11,221
20,874
27,626
20,843
15,950
62,247
Heroin
NA
NA
6
34
68
109
203
253
Cocaine
15
46
58
47
114
275
277
303
According to DEA and Embassy reporting, most of
the illicit heroin arriving in Spain originates in South-
west Asia, primarily Pakistan and Afghanistan, but
some also comes from Southeast Asia. Heroin normal-
ly arrives by rail from Portugal, France, the Nether-
lands, and Italy, while some also enters directly by air
from source countries. From here, multikilo-size par-
cels are assembled for shipment, mainly to the United
States (see figure 3).
Spain has become the principal entry point of South
American cocaine destined for the West European
market, according to INTERPOL. It is favored as the
initial transshipment point because of its language,
historical, and cultural ties to Latin America as well
as its dual-nationality arrangements with some Latin
American countries. DEA and Embassy reporting
indicates that cocaine in bulk quantities arrives by
courier directly from South America, mainly Bolivia
and Colombia, while some also is smuggled across the
Spanish-Portuguese border. DEA reports that recent
surpluses in Bolivia and other South American coun-
tries explain the big push to develop European mar-
kets. Much of the cocaine arriving in Spain is bound
for the Netherlands, where it is packed for distribu-
tion to other European countries.
According to Embassy reporting, hashish and other
cannabis products in bulk quantities arrive in Spain
by private fishing and pleasure boats, private planes,
and commercial aircraft from Morocco and the Mid-
dle East. Entry areas include the coastline near
Gibraltar, such as Algeciras; the many small ports
along the Costa del Sol, such as Puerto Banus and
Marbella; and the border with Portugal. Traffickers
then send them by rail and truck to other European
countries and by plane and ship to the United States.
matic pouch.
Drug trafficking in Spain involves people of many
nationalities. Embassy reporting indicates that, until
recently, Spanish and US citizens were primarily
involved in local distribution and small-scale smug-
gling, while individuals or small groups from drug-
producing countries and other West European states
were involved in smuggling on a larger scale. DEA
reporting indicates that the growth of Iranian, Syrian,
and Lebanese communities in Spain in recent years
has led to an increase in the number of heroin
distribution organizations and courier activity among
these nationalities. More formally organized traffick-
ing networks involving Spanish, Italian, and South
American citizens have also been uncovered recently.
In addition, trafficking rings involving Sri Lankan
Tamils, Nigerians, and British citizens are also active,
while press reports last November indicated that law
enforcement authorities were investigating a ring
allegedly smuggling heroin through the Syrian diplo-
Mafia connections with trafficking became apparent
in April 1984 when Spanish officials arrested Mafia
chieftains Gaetano and Vito Badalamenti and Pietro
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/07/27: CIA-RDP89T00295R000300310002-2
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/07/27: CIA-RDP89T00295R000300310002-2
Secret
Figure 3
Drug Trafficking Routes and Cultivation Areas in Spain
NORTH
ATLANTIC
OCEAN
astern
ahara'&
North
Sea
G.D.R.
Bet. F.R.G.!
Toaand from
Western Europe
Fr4nce / 14
pain
> ?>
licante
Mediterranean
Sea -
Boundary representation is
not necessarily authoritative.
Algecir'
Strap o
Gib altar
DRUG ROUTES
Hashish and marijuana
F- Heroin
~- Cocaine
0 Marijuana crops
Q Processing laboratories
of--~
Mediterranean
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/07/27: CIA-RDP89T00295R000300310002-2 -
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/07/27: CIA-RDP89T00295R000300310002-2
banks.
Alfano for drug trafficking. In addition, evidence was
uncovered that Mafia figures were using Spain as a
money-laundering center. According to Italian police
reports cited in the Italian and Spanish press, the
Mafia money is laundered by investing in real estate
along Spain's Mediterranean coast through legal
transfers of funds from Swiss, French, and Italian
In November 1984, Spanish authorities also arrested
in Madrid two major Colombian traffickers, Jorge
Ochoa Vasquez and Gilberto Rodriguez Orejuela.
Both men were extradited to Columbia in mid-July
despite Washington's efforts to have them extradited
to the United States to face trafficking charges. In
addition, press reports implicated the Under Secre-
tary of the Colombian Embassy in Madrid, Gustavo
Jacome Lemus, in a case involving smuggling cocaine
into Spain through the Colombian diplomatic pouch.
Spanish police authorities have speculated for many
years that the Basque Fatherland and Liberty terror-
ist group (ETA) uses low-level traffickers as couriers,
extorts money from traffickers, and traffics in drugs
to finance its activities, but police have yet to establish
a firm link between the terrorists and the drug trade.
traffickers.
Public Perceptions of the Drug Problem. Public
opinion polls indicate that Spaniards, including young
people, have become very concerned about drug abuse
and trafficking-particularly with respect to hard
drugs-and this, no doubt, has contributed to the
government's reassessment of the initially lax policies
toward illicit drugs. According to US Embassy offi-
cials, drug abuse and trafficking consistently rank as
major concerns in public opinion surveys. An OTR/
Tiempo poll published in May 1985, for example,
revealed that Spaniards under the age of 30 think that
the three most pressing social problems facing Span-
ish society are, in descending order, unemployment,
drug abuse, and inflation. A survey by the Directorate
General for Youth released in January 1985 found
that fully 50 percent of the youths interviewed op-
posed Article 344 of the Penal Code, which not only
decriminalized the possession of a small amount of
drugs for personal use but also relaxed punishment for
Another recent poll indicates that a majority of the
respondents of all ages believe that the drug threat
has increased and that drug abuse is a serious problem
for the entire society. Respondents tended to distin-
guish, however, between hard drugs, which they be-
lieve posed a more serious -health risk, and soft drugs
such as marijuana and hashish, which were consid-
ered to be more benign. (According to Embassy 25X1
reporting, neither the Spanish public nor government
officials believe that use of soft drugs leads to use of
hard drugs.) Opinion was divided over whether nar-
cotics abuse is a crime or an illness, whether it
requires mild or harsh punishment, or whether it
requires voluntary or mandatory therapy. Neverthe-
less, on balance, Spaniards appear to favor additional
and tougher government measures to reduce narcotics
demand and supply, particularly measures against
traffickers.
Domestic Control Policies
Despite the 1983 relaxation of the penal code and
decriminalization of the possession of drugs for per-
sonal use, efforts to curb drug trafficking through
greater international cooperation and stronger en-
forcement continued. But, according to Spanish offi-
cials, they were hampered by the lack of adequate
equipment and coordination between the National
Police and the Guardia Civil, who share responsibility
for narcotics interdiction. The interdiction of drugs
remained only a secondary concern in any case as
policymakers and enforcement agencies subordinated
the drug problem to the more immediate threat posed
by terrorist groups, such as ETA and the Maoist First
of October Anti-Fascist Revolutionary Group
(GRAPO). Moreover, because the Socialist govern-
ment was initially unwilling to admit that a serious
drug abuse problem existed, little effort was made to
improve drug education, prevention, or treatment
programs. By mid-1984, however, pressure had grown
so strong from both- the Spanish public and foreign
governments that the Gonzalez government made an
about-face and launched a major antidrug campaign.
Strengthened Control Measures. The government's
first steps were to name a special federal prosecutor
for drug matters and to establish an interministerial
antidrug agency-including the Ministers of Health,
STAT
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/07/27: CIA-RDP89T00295R000300310002-2
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/07/27: CIA-RDP89T00295R000300310002-2
Secret
Spanish Agencies With Drug Enforcement
Responsibilities
Narcotics law enforcement is the responsibility of the
Ministry of the Interior. Within the Ministry, the
Superior Corps (Cuerpo Superior) of the National
Police is charged with coordination of Spain's anti-
drug efforts. The Superior Corps includes the Central
Narcotics Brigade (Brigada Central de Estupefa-
cientes) which consists of some 730 men and is the
main point of contact between US and Spanish offi-
cials in the narcotics enforcement field. The Director
of the Central Narcotics Brigade is also the Director
of the Interministerial Information and Intelligence
Coordinating Committee. (The committee is com-
posed of two additional inspectors, a physician from
the Division of Mental Health of the Ministry of
Health, a doctor from the National Pharmacy Direc-
torate, a social service representative, and two offi-
cers of the Civil Guard.) The Superior Corps fre-
quently calls on its subordinates in the National
Police (Policia Nacional) to staff its antinarcotics
effort
The Spanish Civil Guard (Guardia Civil), which
reports to the Defense Ministry in times of war and
emergency situations and to the Interior Ministry in
peacetime, is a national paramilitary organization
with numerous and diverse law-enforcement responsi-
bilities. It serves as the enforcement arm of the
Ministry of Finance in combating smuggling and in
enforcing customs laws, since the Customs agency
does not participate in enforcement activities. In this
capacity, it has become involved in narcotics enforce-
ment, and in the early 1980s it formed antidrug
groups independent of the National Police. Embassy
reporting indicates, however, that antinarcotics train-
ingfor guardsmen has been rudimentary
Customs has the principal inspection responsibility at
Spanish ports of entry. According to Embassy report-
ing, Customs is increasing funds and expanding train-
ing in order to counter drug trafficking.
Justice, Interior, and Labor-responsible for studying
Spain's drug-related problems and suggesting mea-
sures to deal with them. The government also
launched publicity campaigns warning Spaniards of
the effects of drug abuse and committed additional
resources for enforcement activities and prevention
and treatment programs.
In January 1985, the special federal prosecutor an-
nounced plans to tighten supervision over seized nar-
cotics from the time of interdiction to disposal, but
Embassy officials are unsure if this has been imple-
mented. In addition, in February 1986 the parliament
approved the Police Reform Law, which is designed to
carry out the first reorganization of Spain's police
forces since the Franco regime. The law calls for the
merger of the National Police and the Superior Corps
into a new body called the National Police Corps
(under the direction of the Interior Ministry) and
increased coordination between the National Police
Corps and the Civil Guard. The law also defines with
greater specificity the roles of the national, local, and
autonomous police units and of the Civil Guard;
establishes a Council of Security Policy chaired by the
Interior Ministry to improve law enforcement coordi-
nation and services; and gives the Civil Guard added
functions, including those comparable to the functions
of the US Coast Guard.
The centerpiece of the government's efforts against
drug abuse and trafficking is the National Anti-
narcotics Plan, formulated after extensive studies in
the Senate and the special interministerial commis-
sion and approved by the Council of Ministers last
July. Funded by grants totaling $32 million, the plan:
? Created the subcabinet post of governmental com-
missioner to coordinate all counternarcotics activi-
ties, a position currently held by Miguel Solans
Soteras.
? Called for revisions to the penal code to lengthen
prison sentences for trafficking soft drugs from one
month and one day to six months and for trafficking
hard drugs from six months and one day to six
years.
STAT
STAT
STAT
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/07/27: CIA-RDP89T00295R000300310002-2
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/07/27: CIA-RDP89T00295R000300310002-2
Secret
rently unknown.
Minister of Health Julian Garcia is a long-time Socialist activist but is not
considered a major figure; his appointment to the Cabinet in late July was a
surprise. Garcia holds a degree in economics and has worked in the financial and
fiscal policy offices of the Ministry of Economics and Finance. He had served
since 1982 as head of the National Credit Office. His position on narcotics is cur-
Miguel Solans coordinates the efforts of the national and regional governments to
fight narcotics abuse under the National Drug Plan. However, Solans, as a
subsecretary, has limited authority in dealing with other ministries. Nonetheless,
Embassy officers say he is able, ambitious, and determined to make the plan
work. He successfully fought the local drug problem in his previous post as Civil
Governor of Gerona (1982-85), working well with foreign officials and the Spanish
police.
Minister of Justice Fernando Ledesma is strongly committed to democracy and
civil rights. In 1983, Ledesma helped carry out a sweeping reform of Spain's
judicial system and penal code, including the relaxation of the penalties for
possession of narcotics. Following a public outcry over rising crime rates,
however, he adopted a tougher antinarcotics stance. In the past year, Ledesma has
vigorously sought to increase US-Spanish antinarcotics cooperation and has told
US diplomats that he is committed to fighting the "world cancer" of drug abuse.
? Established an interministerial commission against
trafficking and consumption, including representa-
tives from relevant government ministries and rep-
resentatives from each of the autonomous regions.
? Called for an increase in educational programs
among school children to deter consumption and for
stricter safeguards against the penetration of drugs
into prisons and military units.
? Called for a stronger role for the special anti-
narcotics prosecutor by placing the sections of the
police and Civil Guard that are dedicated to the
fight against drugs under his control and giving the
50 regional prosecutors antinarcotics
responsibilities.
? Established a framework to restructure the Central
Narcotics Brigade of the National Police by increas-
ing its size from 378 officers to more than 730 in
order to better coordinate the antidrug activities of
the antinarcotics enforcement authorities.
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/07/27: CIA-RDP89T00295R000300310002-2
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/07/27: CIA-RDP89T00295R000300310002-2
secret
Figure 4. Cocaine arrives on
Spanish shores) ;
STAT
? Called for an increase in the number of medical
personnel with specialized training for treating drug
addiction, although not for the creation of special-
ized treatment facilities.
? Proposed a mechanism to provide services related to
the integration of rehabilitated addicts into the
mainstream of society.
? Called for the creation of new centers of instruction
in seven universities to increase the volume of drug-
related information and analysis.
Madrid has also taken measures to expand police
training and tighten immigration regulations, which
include residency laws and customs procedures. In
addition, Spanish law concerning the conduct of sting
operations has recently been revised, although govern-
ment authorities are still prohibited by law from
participating in a crime while posing as undercover
agents. A sting operation can legally be used to assist
narcotics operations, provided that: 1) officials can
provide convincing evidence that an organization
exists, 2) all other means of investigation have been
exhausted, 3) it is certain that the organization is
involved in trafficking, and 4) approval is obtained
from the responsible local judicial authority.
strengthened control measures are improving interdic-
tion efforts and coordination among Spanish enforce-
ment agencies. Cannabis seizures in 1985, for exam-
ple, were up over 300 percent from the preceding
year-largely because of one major haul cited be-
low-while heroin and cocaine seizures increased by
about 20 and 10 percent, respectively (see figure 4).
One of the most notable operations took place in April
1985, when Spanish customs agents seized a Panama-
nian ship in the Gulf of Cadiz carrying 60 kilograms
of cocaine and 30 tons of cannabis with an estimated
street value of 28 million dollars. Police claimed this
was the largest haul of drugs in Spain's history. In the
period June-October 1985, National Police and Civil
Guard forces also raided and destroyed marijuana
crops in several Spanish municipalities including
Albacete, where over 1,100 marijuana plants weigh-
ing approximately 150 kilograms were destroyed.' In
addition,
' Despite these incidents of illicit narcotics production and cultiva-
tion in Spain, we believe drug production there remains relatively
small. The Spanish Government authorizes licit amphetamine
production for domestic pharmaceutical needs as well as the
planting of specified quantities of opium poppy: 6,691 hectares were
authorized in 1984, and 5,289 were planted for domestic pharma-
Mixed Results. The government's recent spate of
measures and proposals suggests that it has made a
commitment to combat the drug problem. The
25X1
r
25X1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/07/27: CIA-RDP89T00295R000300310002-2 -
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/07/27: CIA-RDP89T00295R000300310002-2
Secret
Figure 5. "Heroin: It isn't the
spark of lie, " an anti-drug
6,000 traffickers were arrested in the
tirst six months of 1985; authorities uncovered several
international drug networks operating in Madrid,
Barcelona, and Murcia and arrested their members;
and several heroin and cocaine laboratories in Barce-
lona and Gerona were discovered and dismantled.
The proposals of the national antinarcotics plan have
not yet been fully implemented, however, and no
concrete results can be directly attributed to this
program. To date, the proposed revisions to the penal
code have not been passed. The special prosecutor, a
position held by Jose Jimenez Villarejo until his
resignation (submitted last October and accepted in
April) and now held by Enrique Abad Fernandez, still
lacks the authority to combat the drug threat. Ac-
cording to Embassy officials, it is doubtful that the
antinarcotics enforcement authorities will be placed
under his control. Embassy officials also report that
25X1
It"
plans to improve educational and media prevention 25X1
effort on enforcement and interdiction efforts.
programs and increased services for addicts are still
under study. In addition, critics and political oppo-
nents complain that this plan takes a nearsighted
approach to the drug threat, focusing too much
attention on treatment and prevention and too little
Even with the additional funds allocated for the fight
against drugs, financial and personnel shortages re-
main major constraints. The Ministry of Health, with
overall responsibility for the drug area, made a begin-
ning in this field in 1981 by organizing study commis-
sions, planning a nationwide network of private treat-
ment centers, and instituting publicity campaigns for
the general public. More recently, the Ministries of
Interior, Education, and Labor have mounted an
education effort aimed at secondary school children
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/07/27: CIA-RDP89T00295R000300310002-2
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/07/27: CIA-RDP89T00295R000300310002-2
Secret
with courses, slides, cassettes, and manuals on drug
abuse, but the media probably have provided the most
extensively received information on the drug problem.
According to Embassy reporting, Madrid spent $2.3
million in 1985 on media spots directed at young
people (see figure 5).
The government currently does not operate drug
treatment centers, although plans to open such centers
are now under consideration. The government does
fund 126 detoxification beds in hospitals throughout
Spain. Private groups such as the Red Cross,
churches, and parents' organizations have sought on
their own to establish full-time drug treatment centers
of which there are now approximately 70. The pri-
vately operated centers are almost alone in offering
long-term rehabilitation programs, although local
governments such as Madrid's undertake to pay the
expenses of participants in such centers. According to
Embassy reporting, they have had a measure of
success, although there are no available success/reci-
divism data to confirm this. Embassy reporting indi-
cates that there is a growing reliance upon methadone
treatment for heroin addicts (some 5,000 addicts are
undergoing such treatment). This treatment is carried
out under the supervision of physicians in the private
centers, but, according to press reports, there is
evidence of increasing methadone abuse
Political groups are also instituting antinarcotics pro-
grams. According to press reports, the opposition
Popular Alliance party opened an information center
for families of drug addicts last November and has
plans to open 16 additional centers throughout Spain.
The Socialist Youth, affiliated with the Socialist
Party, has developed an antinarcotics plan and has
been working with addicts since December 1985. This
group is also planning to undertake an epidemiologi-
cal study in Madrid to determine the actual number
of addicts in the region
The Basque autonomous regional government has
taken the lead in primary and extended out-patient
care. Some observers believe the region is in the
forefront of tackling the medical aspects of the drug
problem. Overall, however, the effort is only slowly
becoming organized, and has had few concrete results
to date
International Cooperation
As Spain's drug-related problems have worsened, the
Socialist government has taken steps to improve its
cooperation with other West European countries as
well as with the United States on a bilateral basis and
in international forums. Such improved cooperation
and consultations, particularly with the DEA, have
helped Spain to develop a more effective domestic
control program.
Spain is party to the 1961 Single Convention on
Narcotics, the 1972 Protocol amending the 1961
Single Convention, and the 1971 Convention on Psy-
chotropic Substances. Although recent contributions
by Madrid to the UN Fund for Drug Abuse Control
have been minuscule, it has played an increasingly
active role in the United Nations' other drug control
activities and was elected to serve a four-year term on
the Commission on Narcotic Drugs in May 1985. In
addition, Madrid has provided to the UN Secretary
General proposals to strengthen enforcement in the
new convention on drug trafficking. It is also an active
member of the Pompidou Group, the antinarcotics
group of the Council of Europe, and continues to
cooperate with INTERPOL.
Spain maintains close bilateral contacts with several
West European countries on the drug problem. In
March, Madrid signed a new extradition treaty with
London, and in June it entered into a formal antinar-
cotics agreement with Rome. Enforcement authorities
routinely cooperate with customs authorities in
France, Italy, and Portugal; they also have cooperated
with police in other countries such as the Netherlands
on specific investigations. Spain's cooperation in the
anti-Mafia campaign launched by the Italian cara-
bineri in cooperation with the US FBI and DEA was a
key factor in the detention of the Badalamenti broth-
ers in 1984. Madrid also has promoted the establish-
ment of a tripartite commission on narcotics com-
posed of officials from Spain, Italy, and the United
States.
Over the years the DEA and Spanish enforcement
agencies have developed a close relationship, and US
officials report that cooperation and information ex-
changes with the Spaniards are excellent. Madrid has
expressed interest in establishing a more formal
STAT
STAT
25X1
STAT
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/07/27: CIA-RDP89T00295R000300310002-2
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/07/27: CIA-RDP89T00295R000300310002-2
Secret
mechanism for cooperation patterned after the US-
Italian Working Group on Narcotics Trafficking and
Organized Crime. Spanish officials also acknowl-
edged in late October 1985 that they wanted to learn
from the experience of US officials in the areas of
health care planning and facilities management and
to institutionalize information exchanges between the
Spanish Ministry of Health and the US Department
of Health and Human Services. Local government
officials, most notably officials from the Basque re-
gion, also call on US officials to provide information
concerning demand reduction programs and health
care.
Outlook and Implications for the United States
The growing social costs of drug abuse and pressures
from the public, the political opposition, and foreign
governments are likely to persuade the newly reelect-
ed Gonzalez government to follow through on its
commitment to try to bring drug abuse and traffick-
ing under control. The magnitude of the problem and
the government's limited resources and expertise,
however, suggest that progress will be slow and
halting, and that Spain will remain a major transship-
ment point for drugs bound for Western Europe and
the United States.
To be sure, the government's shift to a tougher policy
on illicit drugs has given counternarcotics officials
more resources and authority than they had just two
years ago to accomplish their mission. The drop in the
number of drug-related deaths last year and the sharp
rise in drug seizures is a good sign that this policy
shift may be effective. The National Plan, with its
emphasis on improvements in prevention, enforce-
ment, treatment, and international cooperation will
strengthen narcotics officials' hands still further if
and when it is fully implemented.
The recently enacted Police Reform Law should
improve coordination among law enforcement units
responsible for narcotics interdiction. In addition, a
proposed bill that is likely to pass parliament this fall
calls for significantly tougher penalties for drug traf-
fickers, providing the police and judiciary with a more
effective tool to deal with such offenses. So, too, will
the assets seizure bill, which will discourage much of
the money laundering that now goes on in Spain.
These and other measures are likely to enjoy broad
bipartisan and public support. The opposition parties
to the right of the Socialists, which are philosophically
more inclined toward a law and order approach,
called attention to the narcotics problem in the runup
to the June national election. They would be very
reluctant to oppose a tougher antinarcotics policy and
may well criticize the Gonzalez government for not
going far enough. Public sentiment is also likely to
remain in favor of a tougher policy toward hard drugs
and trafficking, particularly if the government's edu-
cational and media campaign is effective. Apart from
those on the far right of the political spectrum, 25X1
however, there is likely to be little support within the
government, the opposition, or the public to overturn
the 1983 law which decriminalized the possession of
soft drugs, such as hashish and marijuana, for person-
al use.
Even with tougher laws, more resources, and public
support, however, counternarcotics officials will be
hard pressed to make much headway in the battle
against drugs. They will have to contend with a strong
and growing demand for illicit drugs despite the
stepped-up efforts to educate the public about the
hazards of drug abuse. The growing worldwide over-
supply of drugs, particularly South American cocaine,
is likely, meanwhile, to force prices down still further
and increase demand. It is also likely to inspire drug
trafficking rings to concentrate even more on the
lucrative West European market, including Spain.
Their demonstrated ingenuity in finding ways to
transport drugs together with Spain's porous borders
and geographic location will continue to complicate
law enforcement officials' efforts to curb the trans-
shipment and trafficking of drugs. In any case, until
enough officials receive the requisite training and
expertise to deal with narcotics, Madrid will encoun- 25X1
ter difficulties in its antinarcotics efforts. Terrorism
and the economy, moreover, still rank as more impor-
tant priorities for the government, and it will continue
to devote more of its time and scarce resources to
them.
To some extent, the combination of assistance and
pressure from Spain's neighbors and allies, particular-
ly the United States, will strengthen Madrid's willing-
ness and ability to confront the problem. Spain's
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/07/27: CIA-RDP89T00295R000300310002-2
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/07/27: CIA-RDP89T00295R000300310002-2
Secret
status as a major transshipment center for drugs
bound for the West European and US markets has
created a coincidence of interests between Madrid
and several countries, and these are likely to spawn
greater bilateral and multilateral cooperation. Ac-
cording to the US Embassy, Madrid plans to enter
into counternarcotics agreements with several coun-
tries similar to those with Italy and the United
Kingdom, including Portugal, Morocco, and France.
Spanish officials also want to expand bilateral cooper-
ation with the United States, and talks toward that
end are expected to begin later this- year. The Gonza-
lez government's willingness to cooperate with US
enforcement authorities indicates that the United
States can expect continued and improved cooperation
in the areas of information exchanges and assistance
in drug investigations in Spain. Government officials
stated several times, for example, that they favored
extraditing trafficker Jorge Ochoa to the United
States before the Spanish court's decision to send him_
to Colombia. Madrid's tougher policy and new mea-
sures against drugs may also reduce the supply of
drugs available to US servicemen stationed in Spain.
In addition, Spanish officials have recently supported
US proposals in international antinarcotics forums,
including UN drug commissions. We believe that
Madrid will continue to support such proposals, which
may influence other West European and some Latin
American governments to support them as well.
Madrid is, in fact, likely to look increasingly to
multilateral cooperation as part of its more general
turn toward Europe and other regions of the world
after decades of isolation under Franco. As other
countries have discovered, however, it is extremely
difficult to enforce antinarcotics laws that so many
people are willing to break. At best, we believe the
government's counternarcotics policies will slow the
increase in drug abuse and trafficking rather than
reduce it substantially. The.same holds true for the
transshipment of drugs to Western Europe and the
United States.
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/07/27: CIA-RDP89T00295R000300310002-2 -
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/07/27: CIA-RDP89T00295R000300310002-2
Secret
Secret
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/07/27: CIA-RDP89T00295R000300310002-2