Two Irish nationals arrested in Spain over international drug smuggling ring

Spanish Civil Guard dismantled a drug network led by two Irish nationals, seizing cocaine, heroin and cannabis hidden in household appliances.

Irish suspects held in Spain after two-year 'Iris 24' drug trafficking probe

Spain's Civil Guard has arrested two Irish nationals alleged to have led an international drug smuggling network operating across multiple European countries, roscommonherald.ie reports. The operation, codenamed 'Iris 24', was conducted jointly by Civil Guard units in Murcia and Valencia.

Officers seized more than 20 kilograms of marijuana buds, one kilogram of cocaine and 80 grams of heroin during the operation. Additional items recovered included vacuum sealers, precision scales and packaging tools used to prepare drug consignments for shipment.

The network's method involved sourcing cocaine, heroin and cannabis from other criminal organisations, dividing the narcotics into packages of between 100 grams and two kilograms, and vacuum-sealing them before concealment. The drugs were hidden inside false compartments built into household electrical appliances, which were then dispatched to other EU countries through commercial parcel delivery services.

A Civil Guard spokesman in Murcia said the group "stood out for its sophistication in concealing its identity," employing false documents and identities, frequently changing residences across Murcia, Alicante, Valencia and Tarragona, and selecting shipping methods with minimal registration data requirements. Around twenty individual shipments of cocaine, heroin and marijuana were detected during the investigation; a number were intercepted by Civil Guard officers at Valencia Airport before departure.

The investigation was launched in 2024 after specialist units in Murcia and Valencia began sharing intelligence on suspected international drug trafficking conducted through parcel services. Authorities from the United Kingdom, Ireland and the Czech Republic collaborated with Spanish police over the course of the inquiry.

The arrests were triggered by a routine vehicle checkpoint at Los Alcázares in the province of Murcia, where local officers noticed irregularities in identity documents presented by two men in a car. Civil Guard judicial police specialists subsequently confirmed that both occupants were key figures in the network that had been under surveillance for more than two years.

Both men were arrested on suspicion of membership of a criminal organisation, offences against public health related to drug trafficking, and falsification of public documents. The driver faced an additional road safety charge for operating a vehicle without a valid licence.

The Civil Guard spokesman identified the principal detainee as the overall leader of the organisation, describing him as "responsible for numerous parcel shipments" and noting that he holds "an extensive criminal record in his country of origin, Ireland, for similar offences."

The Civil Guard confirmed the operation remains active and said further arrests could not be ruled out.

Source: Google News IE — Crime (en)