The Ibizan population has witnessed in recent days frenetic police activity to dismantle organizations linked to drug trafficking and money laundering, some with record figures. The numbers are a good indicator of how lucrative the activity can be (hundreds of thousands of euros seized in the three searches carried out between August and September), but the risks are not small either. Up to 66 people have been arrested in the macro-operations of the last two months.
Cocaine seized in the framework of ‘Unagui’. | TONI ESCOBAR
In total, three anti-drug operations have been conducted in less than a month in all the municipalities of the island, with the exception of Sant Joan. Although precisely, this has recently been the scene of the seizure of more than four tons of hashish from in a vehicle intercepted in circulation.
Operation ‘Via Fora‘: The largest stash of 2CB in Spain and robberies of other drug gangs
The Guardia Civil reported on Tuesday August 30th the results of the searches from this operation, activated a day earlier. They intercepted the largest quantity of the drug 2CB -also known as pink cocaine- ever seized in Spain. 13.25kg valued at 1.3 million euros, with a market value of 2.3 million euros. In addition, 439,000 euros, 30,000 pounds sterling and 12,000 dollars in cash were seized. The size of the investigation is also impressive. The Policía Nacional of the Republic of Colombia, together with Europol, the British National Security Agency and Irish, Dutch and German authorities, helped the Central Operational Unit (UCO) of the Guardia Civil to dismantle a gang composed mostly of British citizens and dedicated to importing, processing and distributing various narcotic substances.
They were also specialized in ‘vuelcos’ (robberies of other drug trafficking gangs). The seizure of firearms -three short arms and a submachine gun- shows the violence in their methods. The Guardia Civil carried out at least two searches in the city of Ibiza as part of this operation. One of them took place in a hairdressing salon on Avenida de España, while another was carried out in a storage room in calle Pere Francès, an inspection in which at least one arrest was made. In addition, homes were searched in calle Músic Fermí Marí, in es Viver, as well as homes in the urbanization Punta Pinet, in Cala de Bou. In es Cubells, the police deployment to search some properties included a helicopter.
Operation ‘Unagui‘: Blow to a network that operated between Madrid and Ibiza
The numbers of this macro operation were made public on Tuesday, September 2nd. It left a balance of 42 arrests, 26 on Ibiza, by dismantling a gang dedicated to importing drugs from abroad that operated between Madrid and Ibiza.
In fact, on Monday, August 8th, a routine control in the port of Vila ended with the arrest of a man who tried to unload 13 kilos of cocaine hidden in a false bottom of a car coming from Madrid and arriving by ferry to the island of Ibiza. Likewise, on Wednesday, August 24th, searches were carried out in the Brisol building, located in Avenida 8 d’Agost in Vila. The entries and searches carried out at points in Vila and Sant Josep culminated in a total of 26 arrests.
32 inspections were carried out, 15 of them on the island of Ibiza. The summary of the total quantities of drugs seized on Ibiza and in Madrid is as follows: 47 kilos of cocaine, 143 kilos of hashish, 46 kilos of marijuana and 38 kilos of cannabis buds, as well as different quantities of ecstasy and other synthetic drugs. Also, 347,000 euros in cash, 19 vehicles, seven short and long firearms, bladed weapons and brass knuckles were seized.
Operation ‘Dragon Ball‘: 22 million in assets and links with the Calabrian mafia
After the expectation generated in a week with three days of searches on the island, the Guardia Civil finally revealed the task of their actions on Monday, September 19th. Two organizations have fallen as a result of this operation, one of them linked to the mafia. The operative phase of ‘Dragon Ball’ began on Tuesday 13th and involved a two-phase police mobilization on Ibiza, where an Albanian organization and an Italian organization, the latter linked to the ‘Ndrangheta, the Calabrian mafia, were based. The Guardia Civil reports that the Albanian organization supplied drugs and weapons to its Italian partner. Both also operated in other parts of the Peninsula, the scene of this operation to a lesser extent than Ibiza. In this sense, arrests were also made in Malaga, Barcelona and Tenerife.
For the full article, please visit Diario de Ibiza website here.