12 people have been arrested by the National Police in a joint operation with the Civil Guard which began in April 2022, resulting in the dismantling of a historic criminal organisation. The clan, of Colombian origin, was involved in drug trafficking between the Spanish mainland and the Canary Islands. The organisation had returned to activity on Tenerife a year prior to their arrest, prompting the police to start a close surveillance, which allowed them to uncover the modus operandi used.
The organisation primarily used human couriers to transport cocaine from South America. Once the substance was in the main airports on the Spanish mainland, they distributed it throughout the country. For transportation to the Canary Islands, they relied on another important criminal organisation based in the islands with members on Gran Canaria. This Canary Islands-based organisation used both human couriers by air and modified vehicles with cavities created for the concealment of the substance. This allowed them to make a large number of trips by sea between the mainland and the capital islands, with over 30 vehicles at the disposal of the criminal network.
During the months of June and July, two seizures were made, resulting in the confiscation of over 5 and 12 kilograms of cocaine in Gran Canaria and Tenerife, respectively. This led to the arrest of two of the main members of the network, as well as a historic drug trafficker from Tenerife. In December, two human couriers were caught at Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas airport with over 17 and 4 kilograms of highly pure cocaine, respectively. One was intercepted on arrival from South America and the other as they were about to travel to the Canary Islands.
In January 2023, the final seizure took place at the Las Palmas de Gran Canaria port, where over 14 kilograms of cocaine were confiscated from one of the members of the organisation, who was transporting it by sea from Huelva and had hidden it in one of the vehicles at their disposal.
The operation concluded with seven raids in the provinces of Santa Cruz de Tenerife and Las Palmas, as well as in Madrid, Toledo and Málaga. As a result of the operation, the total dismantling of the two organisations was achieved, with 12 of their members being arrested. A total of 54 kilograms of cocaine were seized, as well as five vehicles modified with cavities prepared for transporting the drug and over €75,000 in cash.
The investigation was carried out by agents from the Central Narcotics Brigade’s Group 41 of the National Police, the Drugs and Organised Crime Unit (UDYCO) I of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, UDYCO I of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, and the Organised Crime and Anti-Drug Team (EDOA) of the Judicial Police Unit of the Civil Guard Command in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, in coordination with the Anti-Drug Special Prosecutor’s Office in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, and under the authority of the Granadilla de Abona Investigation Court No. 4.
