17 arrests in Spain for large-scale drug trafficking and money laundering

The Belgian Federal Police (Police Fédérale/Federale Politie), the French Gendarmerie (Gendarmerie Nationale) and the Spanish Civil Guard (Guardia Civil), supported by Europol, successfully dismantled an organised crime group involved in drug trafficking and money laundering. 

The action days on 14 and 15 December 2021 led to:

• 16 house searches (in Barcelona, Cadiz and Galicia)
• 17 individuals arrested (11 Spanish and 6 Moroccan nationals) 
• The leader of the criminal network among the suspects arrested
• Large seizures worth more than €6 million including: 
• 10 luxury watches worth about €2.1 million,
• 8 real estate properties worth about €1.9 million, 
• more than €1 million in cash, 
• 26 cars worth about €1 million, 
• 1 vessel valued at approximately  €100 000, 
• 760 lottery tickets with a value of €15 200, 
• a banknote counter, a large number of smartphones and electronic equipment, 
• 33 bank accounts.

Large-scale drug trafficking via the African route

The criminal network was involved in large-scale drug trafficking, mainly of cocaine and hashish, to Southern Spain using speedboats. Two seizures made earlier in 2021, consisting of 4 300 kg hashish and 1 300 kg cocaine respectively, are connected to this criminal organisation. Two of the 17 arrested on 14 and 15 December had an international arrest warrant against them in connection to a seizure of 1 004 kg cocaine made in 2018 in Morocco. The alleged leader of the organisation is believed to be one of the major importers of cocaine and hashish from Morocco to the Iberian Peninsula. Spanish Civil Guard officers arrested him while he was coordinating a number of seaborne drug trafficking operations.

Using legal businesses to wash the drug money

The organised crime group created and misused a large network of companies, including several cash-intensive businesses such as two restaurants in Barcelona. These businesses served to launder the drug-trafficking proceeds. The profits were also laundered through the payment of mortgages and simulated loans. The suspects also used cash to cover costs related to facilitating their drug trafficking activities and buying the required equipment, such as cars and vessels. A large number of the assets owned by the suspects and their families were not justified by any legally obtained and declared resource. 

On-the-spot deployments to support investigators

Since joining the operation in July 2020, Europol supported the operational activities, facilitated the exchange of information and provided analytical support and operational coordination. During the action days, Europol deployed an expert to Spain to cross-check in real time operational information against Europol’s databases to provide leads to investigators in the field. Europol also deployed a second expert to Spain to provide further technical assistance. 

In 2020, Europol created the European Financial and Economic Crime Centre (EFECC) to increase synergies between economic and financial investigations and to strengthen its ability to support law enforcement authorities in effectively combating this major criminal threat.

Headquartered in The Hague, the Netherlands, Europol supports the 27 EU Member States in their fight against terrorism, cybercrime, and other serious and organised crime forms. Europol also works with many non-EU partner states and international organisations. From its various threat assessments to its intelligence-gathering and operational activities, Europol has the tools and resources it needs to do its part in making Europe safer.