Police Dismantle Major Criminal Network Operating Through Tenerife Cannabis Clubs

A major criminal network in southern Tenerife has been dismantled, exposing how organized crime groups are using cannabis clubs as a front for drug trafficking and sexual exploitation. As first reported by El Día, the operation led to the arrest of 34 people, with three ringleaders now held in provisional prison. The investigation revealed a sophisticated business model that ranged from large-scale drug production to money laundering via digital assets.

Following a nine-month investigation, the National Police deployed 120 officers to raid 21 locations simultaneously. The group operated with a strict hierarchy, managing eight cannabis clubs as drug distribution points and two massage parlors as centers for prostitution. The network relied on tight security measures and a central warehouse to supply its various locations with hashish and marijuana.

Police also uncovered plans for a massive 3,000-square-meter cannabis plantation in Güímar. Had it been completed, the facility would have produced 250 kilograms of marijuana annually, worth an estimated two million euros. Officers successfully stopped this project and shut down two other indoor growing operations.

During the raids, police seized a significant haul, including over 25 kilos of marijuana, 4.5 kilos of hashish, hundreds of plants, and various THC products. Authorities also confiscated more than 107,000 euros in cash, 8,500 dollars in various currencies, and 21 vehicles.

This operation, which targeted areas including Guía de Isora and Playa San Juan, highlights the growing difficulty of policing cannabis clubs that operate as illegal distribution hubs. The ten premises involved have been sealed by court order, and legal proceedings against the detainees are ongoing, marking a significant step in the fight against organized crime in the Canary Islands.