A large stash of fuel containers and a syphoning machine were found by Royal Gibraltar Police officers in a lock up garage yesterday afternoon.

Following a tip-off, uniformed officers arrived at Willis’s Road Car Park by the Moorish Castle, just after 2pm.

During the search they found 96 empty fuel containers, a large syphoning machine and various plastic tubes, all of which were all seized.

Also seized were quantities of hessian cloth, which is used to wrap bales of cannabis. 

A team of Crime Scene Investigation detectives then arrived at the location to start gathering evidence.

At 1943hrs last night, a local man, 56, was arrested on suspicion of being Knowingly Concerned with the Importation of a Controlled Drug.

An investigation is ongoing.

A spokesman for the RGP, said: “The seizure of a syphoning machine confirms our suspicions that organised crime groups are filling up vehicles legally at petrol stations, and then syphoning the petrol out of the vehicles, into fuel containers.

“We reiterate that storing fuel containers like this is highly dangerous and a risk to the public. We ask members of the public who see large quantities of these fuel containers to contact us anonymously.

“Not only is this helping us to tackle organised crime and the drug trafficking trade, but it’s helping to keep Gibraltar safe.”

The spokesman added that fuel containers like these pictured are often taken out to sea to refuel RHIBs (Rigid Hulled Inflatable Boat) used by drug traffickers.

Anyone with any information should contact the RGP on 200 72500 or 199 in an emergency – or report it online at www.police.gi/report-online