Lorraine Williamson
An international criminal network linked to 42.5 tonnes of cocaine has been dismantled following an investigation that began with a record drug seizure at the Port of Algeciras in southern Spain. Spanish and Ecuadorian police, working with Europol, uncovered an alleged trafficking operation that used legitimate-looking export companies to move cocaine across international borders.
The operation culminated on Thursday 8 October with arrests and property searches in Ecuador. Investigators say the network was connected to 14 separate cocaine seizures, including shipments destined for Spain and several other European countries.
The Spanish Interior Ministry said 21 suspected members of the organisation had been arrested and 23 properties searched during the final phase of the investigation. The operation targeted a network allegedly responsible for acquiring, storing and transporting cocaine from Ecuador to Europe and the United Arab Emirates.
The investigation began in October 2024, when police discovered more than 13 tonnes of cocaine concealed among bananas inside a shipping container arriving at Algeciras from Ecuador. At the time, it was the largest cocaine seizure ever made by Spain’s National Police.
How the Algeciras seizure exposed the network
The discovery at Algeciras prompted investigators to examine the people, businesses and shipping routes behind the container. Their enquiries eventually linked the organisation to 14 cocaine seizures in Ecuador and European countries including Spain, Belgium, Portugal and the Netherlands.
Together, those intercepted shipments amounted to approximately 42.5 tonnes of cocaine. According to the Spanish authorities, around 18 tonnes were intended for the Spanish market.
The scale of the operation illustrates how international drug traffickers can exploit ordinary commercial shipping routes. Rather than relying on isolated shipments, investigators identified an organised system involving businesses, maritime transport and contacts in several countries.
Banana-export companies allegedly concealed cocaine shipments
Police identified at least 15 companies involved in banana exports that investigators believe were used to provide commercial cover for the trafficking operation. Cocaine was allegedly hidden in containers carrying apparently legitimate goods, allowing shipments to move through established international trade routes.
Investigators believe the network had been operating since 2019 and had also used other commodities, including seafood, cocoa and timber, as part of its transport arrangements. The organisation allegedly coordinated the acquisition of cocaine from Colombian laboratories before arranging its shipment overseas.
The Spanish Interior Ministry also reported suspected connections with criminal organisations associated with the Balkan mafia and the so-called Mocro Mafia. Investigators believe members of these networks helped receive shipments and arrange distribution through companies operating in destination countries.
Encrypted communications and an international investigation
According to investigators, the organisation used encrypted messaging platforms to coordinate shipments and communicate with other criminal groups. Its alleged leader was believed to have been based in the United Arab Emirates since 2023, maintaining contacts with people responsible for different stages of the trafficking operation.
The final police operation took place in Ecuador on 8 October, following cooperation between Spanish and Ecuadorian law enforcement agencies and Europol. Spanish authorities reported 21 arrests and 23 searches, with officers also recovering electronic devices and other material relevant to the investigation.
Europol separately reported 20 arrests in its account of Operation Cantabria, although both agencies confirmed the coordinated operation and 23 property searches. The difference between the published arrest totals has not been clarified.
Links to an earlier Spanish police corruption investigation
The original Algeciras seizure also became connected to a separate investigation involving a former senior police officer in Madrid. Óscar Sánchez Gil, a former head of the National Police’s economic crime unit in the capital, was arrested after investigators discovered approximately €20 million concealed inside his home and office.
Spanish reporting has linked that investigation to the trafficking network behind the Algeciras shipment. The former officer remains subject to criminal proceedings, and the allegations against him have not been established by a final conviction.
The latest operation represents a significant development in an investigation that has extended well beyond Spain’s borders. Police continue to examine the alleged criminal organisation, its financial arrangements and its connections with international trafficking networks.