An official report by Spain’s Department of National Security reveals that around 600 « go-fast » vessels operate in the Strait of Gibraltar, while drug cartels avoid approaching the Spanish coast.
The main hashish route into Europe is surging once again in the Strait of Gibraltar. This is the warning issued by the latest 2025 Annual National Security Report, made public by the Department of National Security (DSN), based at the Moncloa Palace, just five days after two Civil Guards died in the waters off Huelva while pursuing a narco-boat.
Far from being a sensationalist or academic analysis, the document – historically cautious when referring to Morocco – is unequivocal: the neighboring country is consolidating its position as the « world’s leading producer of hashish » and, over the past year, the export route to Spain « appears to have been reactivated. »
Higher Yield on Less Land
Although the area of land cultivated for cannabis in the Moroccan Rif has decreased since the beginning of the century, traffickers have compensated for this loss by dramatically increasing yield per hectare. According to the main estimates cited by the DSN, annual hashish production currently ranges between 2,500 and 3,000 tons, to which a growing quantity of marijuana is added – although Morocco is not a leader in this latter segment.
The Strategy of Fear: Operating from Morocco
One of the most significant new developments highlighted by the report is the tactical shift by criminal organizations. Fearing « the loss of vessels, with the resulting economic loss, » drug traffickers have decided to operate directly from Morocco, thereby avoiding bringing their boats close to the Spanish coast to minimize the risk of interception.
This does not mean that beach landings have disappeared. On the contrary, the DSN indicates that traffickers use an auxiliary fleet of small rigid-hulled inflatable boats, fishing vessels, sailboats, pleasure craft, and even yachts to bring drugs into fishing ports, marinas, or via traditional beach landings.
Portugal, the New Shipyard for Drug Trafficking
Another unprecedented revelation in the report is the official estimate of the number of vessels involved in drug trafficking. According to the Maritime Action Operations and Surveillance Center of the Navy, which falls under the DSN, more than « 600 go-fast type vessels » have been identified as suspected of participating in drug trafficking operations, mainly in the area of the Strait of Gibraltar.
Never before has a Spanish authority provided such a specific figure. But the most striking detail is the origin of these vessels: they are now built in Portugal, as confirmed by the report, demonstrating the adaptability and mobility of criminal networks beyond traditional borders.
A Growing Challenge to National Security
The DSN document, which analyzes all the threats facing Spain, devotes a growing number of pages to drug trafficking, now elevating it to a full-fledged matter of national security. The deaths of the two agents in Huelva have been a tragic reminder of the increasing violence at sea.
Authorities fear that, with the reactivation of the route and the modernization of the narco-fleet, episodes of pursuits and confrontations in the Strait will intensify in the coming months. Meanwhile, Morocco remains the epicenter of a production that shows no sign of slowing, and Spain remains the gateway for a business that generates billions of euros each year.
With Ignacio Cembrero on El Confidencial, May 15, 2026
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