– POLICÍA NACIONAL
SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, 16 Jun. (EUROPA PRESS) –
National Police and Civil Guard agents have dismantled a criminal organisation allegedly involved in the introduction, storage, and distribution of large quantities of hashish between the Canary Islands and the mainland. This joint operation has resulted in the arrest of 25 individuals and the seizure of over 7,500 kilos of the illicit substance.
The investigation commenced in late 2025 when specialised units from both forces began parallel inquiries into one of the most active drug traffickers in the archipelago.
After detecting overlapping targets, the National Police and Civil Guard combined their efforts in a joint investigation that spanned eight months, as detailed in a police statement.
This investigation confirmed the existence of a complex criminal organisation that operated continuously throughout the Canary Islands, with connections on the mainland, North Africa, and South America.
Members of the network employed strict security measures to impede police operations. They utilised a constant rotation of vehicles and phones, along with various surveillance and counter-surveillance systems.
The inquiry also revealed that the organisation maintained significant maritime infrastructure for introducing large shipments of hashish into the Canary Islands for subsequent distribution.
Throughout the eight-month investigation, agents conducted five significant drug operations at various locations across the archipelago.
These operations occurred in Tenerife, Gran Canaria, and Lanzarote, where over 7,500 kilos of hashish were seized.
The most notable action took place during the early hours of 11 May in Sardina del Norte, Gran Canaria.
Investigators identified the arrival of an inflatable boat laden with bales of hashish and established a police operation that successfully intercepted the shipment as it was being unloaded on the coast.
This operation led to the arrest of nine individuals involved in the drug unloading and the seizure of over 3,000 kilos of hashish, along with the vessel used for transport.
Once sufficient evidence of the organisation’s activities was gathered, investigators moved to the final phase of the operation, culminating in the arrest of a total of 25 individuals and conducting six searches at properties in Gran Canaria and Malaga.
During these searches, agents seized over 250,000 euros in cash, a handgun with ample ammunition, bladed weapons, and various documents of interest to the ongoing investigation.
This operation was conducted jointly by specialised units of the National Police and Civil Guard dedicated to combating drug trafficking, under the direction of the relevant judicial authority.
THE INVESTIGATION REMAINS OPEN
The investigation is ongoing, and agents are pursuing various leads aimed at locating and apprehending several identified members of the organisation who are currently wanted.
The State Security Forces are maintaining specific operational measures for their apprehension, and further arrests may not be ruled out in the coming weeks.
The detainees have been brought before the judicial authority as suspected perpetrators of drug trafficking offences and membership in a criminal organisation, with provisional imprisonment ordered for 16 of them.
