Narcos open fire on Civil Guard officers during hashish smuggling attempt in Punta Umbría, Huelva

The interception

A Civil Guard maritime patrol spotted a semi-rigid boat roughly eight nautical miles off Punta Umbría (Huelva) during the early hours of 11 June 2026. A multi-unit operation was launched, combining sea and land assets to block the vessel from reaching the estuary. When officers located the unloading point, they found a van, a passenger car, and several individuals preparing to move the cargo ashore.

The shootout

As agents closed in, the smugglers opened fire with long guns. The Civil Guard returned fire. No officers were hit, though the official patrol vehicle sustained multiple bullet impacts from weapons of different calibres. The suspects then fled on foot. One person was detained at the scene; the remaining individuals escaped and are the subject of an ongoing manhunt.

The criminals opened fire on the guards, who were forced to repel the aggression, resulting in an exchange of gunfire.

Seizures and evidence

Officers recovered 56 bales of hashish weighing approximately 1,120 kilograms. A short firearm was found inside one of the vehicles. Criminalistics technicians are analysing shell casings and projectiles collected from the scene.

The manhunt

A containment operation is underway to locate the fugitives. Units involved include the Maritime Service, Citizen Security patrols, Traffic Detachment, Air Service, Pegaso Team, Canine Unit, Fiscal Company, USECIC, and Judicial Police. Assistance has been requested from other police forces.

Union reaction

The professional association Jucil condemned what it called a qualitative leap in violence by drug-trafficking organisations in Andalusia. It linked the incident to years of underinvestment in equipment, staffing shortages, and a lack of forceful response to the expansion of narcotics networks.

Today we are talking about bullet impacts on an official vehicle and we do not have to mourn injured colleagues. But it is only a matter of time before we have to do so again if the spread of this scourge is not stopped.