Police Seize 'Pink Cocaine' Hidden in Stuffed Animal at Tenerife Airport
Spanish National Police arrested a man at Tenerife North Airport after intercepting over 500 grams of "tusi" hidden inside a stuffed animal shipped from Madrid.
Drug trafficking networks in the Canary Islands are becoming increasingly sophisticated, as shown by a recent National Police operation at Tenerife North Airport. Officers arrested a man as he arrived to collect a package containing over half a kilogram of "tusi," or pink cocaine.
The arrest was part of an ongoing effort to stop synthetic drugs from being shipped from the mainland. In this case, 504 grams of the drug—which lab tests identified as mostly ketamine—were hidden inside a stuffed animal to bypass security. Police tracked the package from its origin at Madrid Airport, leading them directly to the recipient in Tenerife.
This case highlights the growing challenge law enforcement faces with new psychoactive substances. Because "tusi" can contain a dangerous and unpredictable mix of chemicals, authorities are tightening controls on postal shipments, which criminal groups frequently use to smuggle drugs like MDMA and pink cocaine into the islands.
The suspect is now in custody awaiting a court appearance. The investigation is ongoing, as police work to dismantle the networks responsible for smuggling these substances into the Canary Islands, where the region's geography requires constant monitoring of freight transport.