Police Dismantle Major Drug Trafficking and Money Laundering Network in Tenerife

A recent police operation in southern Tenerife has exposed the sophisticated methods used by drug trafficking and money laundering networks in the Canary Islands. The involvement of the Central Narcotics Brigade, sent from Madrid, highlights the scale of the investigation into a criminal group that had deeply infiltrated the local economy through high-value assets and complex financial schemes.

The operation centered on Playa San Juan in Guía de Isora, where police arrested an Algerian national who has lived on the island for 30 years. Investigators discovered that the suspect had used approximately 20 different identities to evade detection and distance himself from his criminal past, which reportedly included ties to gangs that targeted tourists.

While the case remains under a judicial seal, police have successfully dismantled a fleet of luxury vehicles used to launder money. The seized collection includes high-end models such as a Lamborghini Urus, a Brabus 600, a BMW 850i convertible, a Range Rover Velar, and several other luxury BMW, Mercedes, Nissan, and Abarth vehicles. Many of these cars were originally registered in countries like Lithuania or Poland—a tactic designed to make tracking their true ownership more difficult.

In addition to the vehicles and two motorcycles, authorities have frozen bank accounts and seized properties. These measures are a key part of the fight against organized crime, as police aim to dismantle the financial foundations that support these illegal activities. The involvement of the Central Udyco unit underscores the significance of this network, which had managed to operate under a facade of normalcy in the south of the island for years.