Spanish National Police dismantle a criminal organization based in Mexico and Spain dedicated to trafficking methamphetamine in marble stones

Agents of the Spanish National Police, in collaboration with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), have completely dismantled a Spanish-Mexican criminal organization allegedly responsible for Europe’s main methamphetamine supply point. This is the second phase of Operation Saga, which resulted in the second-largest methamphetamine seizure in Europe. Nine people have been arrested and brought before the judicial authorities as alleged perpetrators of drug trafficking, membership in a criminal organization, and money laundering. Among those arrested are a member of the Sinaloa Cartel and a businessman who owns a marble company used to ship the drugs.

The investigation, led by the National Court’s Investigating Court Number 6, began in 2023 with Operation Saga, which resulted in the seizure of 1,800 kilos of methamphetamine. It turned out to be the second largest methamphetamine seizure in Europe, dismantling the main supply point for synthetic drugs in the continent, which operated from Tenerife, Madrid, Valencia, and Alicante.

40 kilos of methamphetamine hidden in a statue destined for Tenerife

Following this operation, the agents learned that new members of the organization based in both Spain and Mexico were attempting to restructure their finances.

This is how, in July 2024, this criminal network sent 40 kilos of methamphetamine hidden in the base of a statue over 1.5 meters tall to Tenerife. The recipient, who turned out to be a notorious drug trafficker from the island, was immediately arrested.

Hidden away in a Madrid apartment for 2,500 euros a month in exchange for silence

Meanwhile, last September, a member of the Sinaloa Cartel was identified and located hiding in an apartment from which he barely left and who was paid a salary of 2,500 euros a month in exchange for his silence, since he had participated in the introduction and custody of the 1,800 kilos of methamphetamines seized in Alicante in Operation Saga.

A shipment of 38 kilograms of marijuana that the organization had sent to Finland was also intercepted. Thanks to collaboration with Finnish Customs, the recipient, who had traveled there specifically to take possession of the drugs, was arrested.

Nearly 3,000,000 euros hidden in a bunker

After several investigations, they made two significant arrests. One was that of a businessman who had used his legitimate marble company to smuggle the substance hidden in stones imported from Mexico. A search of one of his warehouses uncovered nearly €3,000,000 hidden in an underground bunker. The other arrest was of the leader of the drug trafficking network, who oversaw operations between Dubai and Mexico, as well as the other members of the organization.

In the searches carried out at seven homes in Valencia (2), Alicante (3), Malaga (1) and Madrid (1), seven luxury watches, seven mobile phones, geolocation devices and various ammunition were seized.

The operation resulted in the arrest of nine people suspected of belonging to a criminal organization, drug trafficking, and money laundering, with three of them remanded in custody. This operation effectively dismantles this criminal network, considered by investigators to be the most powerful in Europe in terms of synthetic drug trafficking.