National Police officers have arrested six people in Denia, five men and one woman aged between 22 and 50 years old, as suspected perpetrators of drug trafficking offences and membership in a criminal group. The detainees used an alleged smokers’ association as a front and a point of sale for narcotic substances.
The investigation began after officers received information indicating the possible existence of a drug sales point at a cannabis association located in the city. The premises were registered with the Department of Legal Entities of the Generalitat Valenciana as a “cannabis association with activities dedicated to naturism and alternative medicines.” It was there that officers detected a constant coming and going of young people who arrived and, after a short period of time, left the place in a hurry. The activity had generated a certain level of social alarm in the neighbourhood.
For this reason, the police set up several surveillance operations near the premises under investigation, suspecting that narcotic substances were being sold under the supposed legal protection of a cannabis association front.
As a result of the surveillance carried out, officers confirmed the high number of people entering and leaving the premises after purchasing the narcotic substance. They proved that the club was operating as a point of sale that could be accessed by anyone wishing to buy the substance and take it away. To do this, there was no need to be a partner or a member of the association. Many of the customers were foreign individuals who were on holiday in the city.
Furthermore, enquiries revealed a repetition of offending at the cannabis association under investigation, as it had been the subject of an investigation since 2025 and its modus operandi remained the same.
Following these findings, officers took steps to check the ownership of the premises and the individuals responsible for the association, as well as verifying the corresponding potential permits and licences, in order to request an entry and search warrant from the city courts for the premises.
In the operational enforcement phase, after obtaining the relevant judicial authorisation, the entry and search proceedings were carried out. This resulted in the seizure of 2,126 grams of marijuana buds, 1,031 grams of hashish, 601 marijuana cigarettes, and 670 euro in cash.
During the police intervention, officers arrested two men who were in charge of the premises at that moment as suspected perpetrators of drug trafficking offences and membership of a criminal group. These were two workers responsible for opening and closing the establishment, as well as supplying the narcotic substances to the “customers” of the alleged association.
Following the police operation, and considering that criminal responsibility could lie with the members of the Governing Board of the association, steps were taken that resulted in the arrest of two more individuals. These were a man and a woman who held the positions of president and secretary, respectively, as well as another two men who had also been identified as workers at the premises. All of them were arrested for their alleged participation in drug trafficking and membership of a criminal group.
Finally, all the police proceedings undertaken were forwarded to the Denia magistrates’ courts.
