In Spain, a drug cartel has been exposed: tons of cocaine seized, 34 people detained.
In Spain, police dismantled a large drug crime organization centered in the Canary Islands, arresting 34 people and seizing over two tons of cocaine.
Spanish police, together with the tax service, conducted a special operation called SILBO and uncovered a large criminal organization that was involved in drug trafficking. Their center was in the Canary Islands.
During searches throughout Spain, 34 people were detained. In total, about 40 searches were carried out.
The investigation lasted more than two years. It was conducted by the Central Operational Unit of the Civil Guard and the Customs Surveillance Service of the Tax Agency. They were assisted by the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Cabo Verde police, and Europol.
The operation was carried out on various islands, such as Tenerife, La Gomera, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, and Fuerteventura. Searches were also conducted in Madrid, Barcelona, Pontevedra, La Coruña, and Malaga.
It all started with a 42-year-old entrepreneur from Tenerife. He had businesses in nightclubs, restaurants, and construction, as well as several companies abroad. The police found out that he was using his business to run a criminal organization that imported large quantities of drugs into Spain and abroad.
The entrepreneur arranged for cocaine to be delivered from South America. Large ships brought the drugs, and he transferred them to other vessels and sent them to the Canary Islands.
In January 2024, police seized 500 kilograms of cocaine that arrived on a ship from South America and was transferred to another ship heading to Santa Cruz de Tenerife. In November of the same year, another 1,600 kilograms of cocaine were seized.
In the second case, the gang leader organized a fishing vessel in Guinea-Bissau together with his partner from Galicia. They planned to supply drugs in the same way as before, using the "African cocaine route."
In addition, he had infrastructure on other islands where he received large shipments of hashish from Morocco. The hashish was sent to Great Britain, and the money was returned. Police discovered several meetings with British citizens on the Costa del Sol who were involved in drug trafficking.
The investigation revealed that the gang leader had created a money laundering scheme. He invested in various sectors of the economy through his companies in Spain and abroad, including the restaurant business and real estate. To do this, he used straw men from his inner circle.
He was also associated with fishing companies and other assets that he hid from others. In addition, he used a car rental company to launder money and distribute drugs.
In April last year, police seized 66 kilograms of cocaine that were being smuggled into Tenerife in a car from this company. The drugs were hidden in a special hydraulic system. It turned out that this cargo had been stolen from another criminal group, for which one of its members had been kidnapped.
The criminal group used two mercenaries – a Cuban citizen and a Colombian citizen, both with military training. They carried out violent acts to seize property, including forcing a man in southern Tenerife to give up land.
It also became known that they were planning to acquire illegal weapons and were conducting military training for other members of the group.
During the operation, police discovered a laboratory for the production and packaging of cocaine on a farm in El Escobonal, on the island of Tenerife. It contained a large number of chemicals that are harmful to health, as well as equipment for processing cocaine.
As a result of the investigation, which was conducted under the supervision of Investigating Court No. 3 of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, 2,185 kilograms of cocaine, a converted firearm, more than 600,000 euros in cash, 16 cars, and 5 vessels (a fishing vessel, a sailboat, and 3 speedboats) were seized. Assets worth more than 2 million euros were also blocked.