MARBELLA – It’s known as the jet set drug, pink cocaine. The National Police found a large batch of this in Marbella. This is the third-largest party found in the country so far.
The inspectors found no less than 7.5 kilos of this drug and another 50 kilos of cocaine powder during an operation in which seven people were arrested. Nearly €200,000 in cash was also seized.
Pink cocaine is known as the drug of the rich. As such, the high price ensures that it remains an exclusive item. It is a mixture of narcotics with effects similar to ketamine and MDMA. For the security forces, this type of drug has become a priority since its proliferation has increased in some areas, such as the Costa del Sol, Ibiza or Spain’s east coast.
Third most important find to date
According to the police, this latest operation in Marbella is one of the largest stocks of pink cocaine found in the entire Spanish territory. As far as is known, this is the third most important find to date in Spain. In August, 13.25 kilos of pink cocaine were intercepted. And in March 2021 the police managed to get their hands on 11 kilos in Valencia.
Investigators, according to the newspaper 20Minutos, targeted an organisation that hid the drugs in suitcases and smuggled them into Spain by plane from various South American countries. That happened at Madrid-Barajas airport, from where the drugs were transported to other Spanish locations.
🚩 La Policía Nacional desarticula una organización criminal dedicada al tráfico de cocaína rosa
📍En las provincias de #Madrid y #Málaga
🔹 7 personas detenidas e intervenidos 24 kg de cocaína y 120.000 € ocultos en una maleta en el aeropuerto de Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas pic.twitter.com/T9y7fpWyUK
— Policía Nacional (@policia) November 30, 2022
Encrypted mobile phones
This international criminal organisation had a “strict” division of tasks among its members and took important security measures. Consequently, its members were constantly changing phones. In doing so, they used multiple mobile phones at the same time and encrypted applications with code names to identify themselves.
Almost €200,000 in cash found
The police not only point to the technological means that the drug gang members would have used – two packs of cocaine were tagged – but also to their purchasing power. In addition to the bag with €105,420, one of the alleged leaders of the organisation had €10,835 with him. In addition, another €48,000 in cash was seized at his home.
“Extremely dangerous and addictive substance”
In that house, the agents found the rest of the stock: 26.3 kilos of cocaine and 7.5 kilos of the substance called pink cocaine. The judge investigating the case described the drug as “an extremely dangerous and addictive substance, but also harmful to health”. It is consumed through the nose and has a street value of €120 to €140 per gram.
Furthermore, the operation led to seven arrests and the seizure of almost €200,000 in cash plus several cars. Police acted in Madrid, Marbella, Estepona and several points in the Axarquía region of Malaga.
Different names for pink cocaine
The only resemblance between pink cocaine to real cocaine is that it is snorted just like cocaine. Although the stuff has only been on the market for a relatively short time, it already has different names. These include 2CB, tucibí, Venus, Erox, Nexus or MFT.
