Spanish Police Dismantle Major Maritime Cocaine Network

Spain’s National Police have dismantled a large-scale maritime drug smuggling operation following a year-long investigation that led to more than 100 arrests and the seizure of over 10 tonnes of cocaine.

The Central Drug and Organized Crime Unit (UDYCO) said the operation is sufficient to “destabilize” the criminal organization, although its alleged leader has not yet been apprehended.

Authorities described an extensive transatlantic smuggling network that relied on speedboats, burner phones, bribes, multiple storage sites, and “state of the art electronic devices intended for maritime trafficking.”

The group specialized in collecting cocaine from smaller smuggling vessels as far as 1,000 miles offshore before transporting the drugs to river-based hubs along the Guadalquivir River and other waterways in the region.

The organization’s reach spanned much of the Iberian Peninsula and surrounding areas, including Galicia, Portugal, Malaga, Morocco, and the Canary Islands.

To dismantle the network, police tactical units carried out coordinated raids at 49 locations, with the highest concentration of operations taking place on Lanzarote and Gran Canaria.

The raids, which were conducted in two phases in June and November, resulted in the seizure of 70 vehicles, 30 boats, six properties, and multiple bank accounts. Police also confiscated two drones, high-frequency radio jammers, WiFi amplifiers, satellite terminals, more than 150 mobile phones, and various navigation systems. In total, 105 individuals were arrested.

As part of the operation, officers also raided a distribution center in Campo de Gibraltar that allegedly supplied communications and navigation equipment to smuggling groups operating across the Andalusia region.