Anti-drug operation in Ibiza: Police arrest 27 people for money laundering
The National Police and Civil Guard dismantle an international drug trafficking network that was investing cocaine proceeds into luxury villas in Ibiza. Four arrested on the island, 27 in total across Spain and the Dominican Republic.
Money laundering network dismantled in Ibiza's property market
The National Police and Civil Guard, in collaboration with Europol, have arrested 27 people for drug trafficking, money laundering and membership of a criminal organisation. According to noudiari.es, four of those arrested were captured in Ibiza, whilst the remainder were detained in Madrid (14), Almería (3), Málaga (2), León (2), Pontevedra (1) and the Dominican Republic (1). The operation was executed on Friday simultaneously with 38 searches across Spain and the Dominican Republic, with participation from Portugal's Judicial Police.
The network operated both in direct drug trafficking and in providing money laundering services to other criminal groups. The organisation channelled profits from cocaine sales into the property market through commercial companies, investing in residential developments, entire housing estates and luxury homes with particular concentration in Ibiza, as well as in Marbella and Madrid. The scheme made it possible to conceal the true ownership of the properties and give a legal appearance to money derived from drug trafficking.
International operations from Colombia
The investigation began in September 2023, when analysis of encrypted messaging platforms identified a network distributing drugs to Europe. Agents subsequently linked the operation to four seizures in Panama totalling more than 1,500 kilogrammes of cocaine. It was established that the structure operated as the Spanish branch of an organisation headed by prominent figures in international drug trafficking, with high operational and financial capacity.
Between 2020 and 2021, the network opened routes to import cocaine from Colombia and Panama in maritime containers, using methods known as "blind hook", "rip off" and "pregnant". In this way it continuously supplied organisations established in Spain. One of the main figures responsible was located in a luxury villa in the Dominican Republic, where he was arrested with the collaboration of that country's National Drug Control Directorate. Two of those arrested are classified as High Value Targets by Europol.
Properties, cryptocurrencies and weapons seized
The operations resulted in the prohibition of sale of 70 properties and 16 luxury villas. Furthermore, 200 moveable assets and 95 properties linked to those under investigation were blocked. Agents seized 40 high-end vehicles and two boats. In cash, 271,521 euros, 76,425 United Arab Emirates dirhams and 1,175 dollars were seized, in addition to more than 1,300,000 USDT in cryptoassets. Twenty-six bank accounts were frozen, three of them located in Luxembourg, and more than one hundred legal entities were blocked.
In the home searches, six firearms were found, one of them a military weapon, a silencer, prohibited weapons such as brass knuckles, tasers, electric stun devices, extendable batons and daggers, in addition to more than 800 cartridges. The investigation is being directed by Judicial Plaza 5 of the Investigative Section of the Central Court of First Instance of the National Court and by the Special Anti-Drug Prosecution. Five international arrest warrants have been issued and the case remains open, so further operations and arrests cannot be ruled out.
Source: Google News ES — Crime (es)