Spanish Officials Clash Over Drug Trafficking Fight in Andalusia

Spanish officials are engaged in a political dispute over the best approach to combat drug trafficking in Andalusia. The Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) accuses Juanma Moreno, the President of the Junta de Andalucía, of 'raising alarm and generating fear' by claiming that drug trafficking is increasing, despite official statistics showing a decrease. Moreno has requested the recovery of an elite Civil Guard unit to fight drug trafficking, but the Government delegate, Pedro Fernández, criticizes Moreno for his 'ignorance and disregard' towards the work of the State Security Forces and Bodies in the region. Fernández defends the effectiveness of the Special Security Plan launched by Pedro Sánchez in 2018, which has allocated over 190 million euros to reinforce staffing, provide specific means and technology against drug trafficking, and increase specialization and training. The plan has resulted in over 47,000 police operations, 31,000 detainees or investigated, and the seizure of significant amounts of drugs and assets.