Police conduct major drugs haul in Catalan region

MADRID, Dec. 18 (Xinhua) -- Police in Spain's northeast region of Catalonia made three arrests on Sunday while seizing over 3,300 kg of hashish in an operation carried out close to the village of Llinares del Valles, local media reported Monday.

The operation busted an international crime ring cultivating hashish and distributing the crop throughout Europe.

Two Spaniards and a British national, who are thought to be the leaders of the organization, were detained by police following a tip off that a warehouse was being used to grow the drugs.

A press statement confirmed the gang had "used warehouses that had been seized by banks to produce drugs and as a base for drug trafficking operations" and that the warehouses contained a "large and highly sophisticated hydroponic plantation of marijuana."

A total of 5,856 plants were discovered in what was described as "one of the biggest indoor" plantations discovered in Catalonia.

As well as cultivating and selling the drugs, the detainees are also accused of illegally stealing 430,000 euros (507,916 U.S. dollars) worth of electricity in order to power the operation. Enditem