Spain’s National Court has granted temporary release on bail to two Civil Guard officers arrested in Ceuta as part of «Operation Hades», one of the largest drug trafficking investigations carried out in the city in recent years. The operation led to the discovery of a secret tunnel linking Ceuta to Morocco, allegedly used to smuggle hashish bound for the port of Algeciras.
The two officers, who had been in custody since late January 2025, remain under investigation on charges of drug trafficking, membership in a criminal organization, and accepting bribes. Investigators suspect they facilitated the passage of drug shipments through the port of Ceuta in exchange for financial compensation.
Their arrests were carried out in the early hours of January 31, during a large-scale security operation that resulted in the detention of nine individuals, including former Ceuta parliamentarian Mohamed Ali Duwas. Duwas was later released after posting €20,000 in bail, with Spanish media noting that he had previously been convicted of similar offenses in the 1990s.
«Operation Hades» remains ongoing, with 15 people arrested so far. A major breakthrough in the case came in February of last year, with the discovery of a tunnel approximately 12 meters deep running between Ceuta and Morocco.
According to judicial sources cited by Spanish media, progress in the investigation has since been slowed by «a lack of cooperation from the Moroccan side», despite official requests and communications sent to Moroccan authorities that have reportedly gone unanswered.