Interpol, the international organization to which practically all the world’s police belong, has issued in the last hours an international alert advising that criminal organizations are using home delivery services to transport drugs and other illicit goods, trying to secure their business during the confinements decreed in much of the world by the coronavirus pandemic.

Police sources have explained that this is a purple alert, which is intended to provide information about objects, devices and concealment methods used by criminals or criminal groups in their illicit activities and which can be accessed by police forces from all over the world through Interpol’s secure communications channel I-24/7.

The notification has been sent to the police in the 194 member countries of the organization after Interpol became aware of these practices after receiving various reports from the police in Spain, the United Kingdom, Ireland and Malaysia, warning of the use of these alleged home delivery people to send, transport and distribute drugs such as cocaine, marijuana, ketamine and ecstasy.

In our country, the National Police identified and arrested seven people posing as food delivery men at home in Spain. They were caught red-handed carrying cocaine and marijuana on bicycles, motorcycles and cars.

In Ireland, for example, GardaWorld team found 8 kilograms of cocaine and two pistols hidden in pizza boxes.

The National Police has explained in a statement that confinement measures have increased the demand for home delivery food services and that delivery drivers are a common image on streets that would otherwise be deserted, becoming an excellent way to transfer illegal material such as drugs.

“Deliverers can be complicit, or unintentionally be involved in drug trafficking. In the cases reported by Interpol, sometimes suspects disguised themselves as home delivery men. Other times, real home delivery men voluntarily participated in the delivery of drugs acting in the service of criminal organizations, obtaining an economic benefit,” added the statement.