A man has been arrested at the Morro Jable ferry terminal in Fuerteventura after Guardia Civil officers allegedly discovered 10.2 kilos of hashish inside a sports bag he was carrying as he prepared to board a ferry to Gran Canaria.

The arrest took place as part of an operation by the Guardia Civil aimed at preventing drugs from being transported through passenger ports in the Canary Islands.

According to information released by the Guardia Civil yesterday (Thursday), officers were carrying out checks at the port while passengers were boarding one of the regular ferry services connecting Fuerteventura with Gran Canaria.

During the operation, their attention turned to a man who was preparing to board the ferry on foot while carrying a sports bag. Officers identified the passenger and subsequently inspected the bag.

Inside, they allegedly discovered 20 blocks of a resinous substance which investigators suspected was hashish pollen. The packages were seized and subsequently weighed, producing a combined total of 10.2 kilograms.

Arrested at Morro Jable port

Following the discovery, the man was arrested on suspicion of committing an offence against public health through drug trafficking.

The arrest itself took place towards the end of August, although details of the operation were only made public by the Guardia Civil yesterday, Thursday 10th September.

Morro Jable is one of Fuerteventura's most important passenger ferry ports and provides regular maritime connections with Gran Canaria.

The port is particularly important for people travelling between the islands without flying, carrying a mixture of vehicles, foot passengers, residents and tourists.

Drug checks at Canary Islands ports

The Guardia Civil regularly carries out preventative operations at ports used for passenger transport as part of its efforts to combat the movement of drugs around the Canary Islands.

Unlike commercial cargo facilities, inter-island ferry terminals handle large numbers of ordinary passengers and vehicles every day, making monitoring an important part of police operations.

In this case, officers say the drugs were intercepted before the suspect was able to complete his journey from Fuerteventura to Gran Canaria. The seizure is particularly notable because of the amount allegedly being carried by a single foot passenger.

With the suspect now remanded in custody, the case will continue through the judicial system.