Royal Navy and Gibraltar police were accused of “acting like pirates” after clashing with Spanish police who had arrested drug smugglers in British territorial waters.

A Guardia Civil officer was left with arm injuries after two boats collided as the Gibraltar forces tried to snatch Moroccan suspects from his ship.
The incident, which saw the Spanish customs boat surrounded by seven Royal Navy and police vessels, stoked existing tensions between the two countries.
Reports in the Spanish media said the situation was “five minutes away from a clash of incalculable consequences”.
The Unified Association of the Guardia Civil issued a statement yesterday alleging that its members had been subjected to “serious insults, harassment and threats” and claiming the Royal Navy and Gibraltar police had acted like “pirates, as in other times in the past”.
The fracas marked a new low in diplomatic relations between Gibraltar and Spain, who have clashed repeatedly because of demands that Britain hands over sovereignty of the Rock.
The fracas marked a new low in diplomatic relations between Gibraltar and Spain
It follows a string of incidents where Spanish police have crossed into Gibraltar’s waters.
Last September, a suspected drug smuggler was removed from British waters by the Guardia Civil after scuffles and a tense stand-off with the Gibraltar police.
At the time, Gibraltar’s Chief Minister Peter Caruana warned that the incident could undermine efforts between the two countries to co-operate on law enforcement.
Earlier this month the heir to the Spanish throne, Prince Felipe, caused outrage at a dinner for Prince Charles and Camilla when he called for Britain to give in to Spain’s claim on Gibraltar.
The latest spat happened on Sunday afternoon after a Spanish customs boat spotted and chased two Moroccan drug traffickers into Gibraltar’s territorial waters.



Two men were arrested by the Guardia Civil and the boat, containing around 100kg of hashish, was seized and tethered to the Spanish vessel.
Seven boats from the Gibraltar customs, Royal Navy and Gibraltar police surrounded the Spaniards, who eventually took the suspects to the nearby port of Algeciras.
According to the Guardia Civil, the Gibraltar forces shouted abuse and accused them of being “pirates” and “thieves” then tried to board the boat to take the suspects and their ship away.
The Gibraltar police said they would make a full statement on the incident today.

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