Nearly 50 suspects have been arrested in a sweeping international operation targeting the largest criminal network operating in Spain’s Canary Islands. The coordinated crackdown, led by Spanish authorities and supported by Europol, uncovered a sophisticated cocaine trafficking operation involving multiple countries and maritime routes.
On 3 June, law enforcement agencies from Spain, Portugal, Colombia, the United Kingdom, and the United States executed a series of raids across the islands of Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria, and Lanzarote. The result: 48 individuals taken into custody, 3.8 tonnes of cocaine seized, and key logistical assets dismantled.
Authorities carried out 29 house searches—2 in Fuerteventura, 13 in Gran Canaria, and 14 in Lanzarote—during the operation. They also confiscated 69 vehicles, including 19 boats and speedboats, along with six properties and €100,000 in cash.
Europol played a critical role throughout the investigation by offering analytical and financial support that helped track and expose the organization’s operations. On the day of the arrests, Europol deployed a specialist to Spain to work directly with local authorities in the field.
The criminal network had built an advanced maritime system to transport cocaine from South America to the Canary Islands, using a fleet of 11 speedboats. These vessels would rendezvous with a mother ship in the Atlantic Ocean to collect cocaine shipments, then deliver them to the islands for further distribution across Europe.
To evade detection, the syndicate relied on encrypted communications and satellite terminals, along with burner phones and coded messages, to obscure their activities from law enforcement.
The operation’s success underscores the strength of cross-border police collaboration. Agencies contributing to the joint effort included Portugal’s Judiciary Police, Spain’s Policía Nacional, Colombia’s Policía Nacional, the UK’s National Crime Agency, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Maritime Analysis and Operations Centre for Narcotics.
5 June 2025
