More than 1 million ecstasy pills and other synthetic drugs seized

The Spanish Civil Guard, within the framework of the operation “Adriático”, has proceeded to the arrest of 9 people in Ibiza and Malaga, belonging to one of the main criminal organizations for the introduction of synthetic drugs in Spain that operated in different parts of Europe.

During the operation, more than one million ecstasy pills (1,071,327 pills) were seized, weighing 357 kilograms. There were 212 kg of ketamine, 73 kg of MDMA, 20 kg of cocaine, 21 kg of pink cocaine (tussi), 10 kg of hashish and 6 kg of marijuana, as well as 3 kilos of “sugar”, a substance used to make pink cocaine. This is the largest seizure of synthetic pills ever seized in Spain and it is estimated that the value of the seized drugs could exceed 25 million euros.

The investigation began when the agents detected, following the latest operations carried out against drug trafficking, the existence of an organisation that was introducing drugs into Ibiza, using mules who drove vehicles with false bottoms.

As a result of this information, the Civil Guard was able to verify that the criminal organisation was trying to introduce one of these vehicles from the Netherlands. For this reason, at the Spanish-French border in Irún, they proceeded to stop the vehicle, discovering a false bottom inside where 25 kilograms of various synthetic drugs (MDMA, ketamine and ecstasy) were hidden.

Continuing with the investigations, the agents were able to verify how part of the organization had moved to the province of Malaga with the intention of settling in that area and extending their illicit business throughout that province.

Once the main members of the network were identified, 9 people were arrested, whose leaders were Italian citizens settled in Ibiza, assisted by other Spaniards and Dutch citizens.

The operation was carried out by the Balearic Islands Civil Guard’s Anti-Drug Organized Crime Team.