Officers from the National Police have dismantled an international criminal organisation dedicated to producing cocaine in secret laboratories and distributing it to other criminal networks across Spain, with one of the primary raids taking place in Denia.
The extensive operation concluded with the arrest of 27 individuals—23 in Spain and four in Australia—and the court order sending three primary leaders of the network to prison.
The investigation began in February 2025 after police detected a highly structured criminal group based in the Community of Madrid. The network imported large quantities of narcotics hidden inside shipments of scrap metal, wood, fruit, and cement. The shipments arrived by sea through European ports, including Belgium, where the gang maintained contacts. From there, the illicit cargo was moved by road into Spain using vehicles equipped with hidden compartments.
Once in Spain, the organisation processed the drug in four secret extraction laboratories located on rural estates in sparsely populated areas. The cocaine hydrochloride was subsequently taken to private residences, where it was cut with lower-cost chemical products to increase its volume and maximise profits.
In total, officers carried out 11 search warrants across Spain: seven in Madrid, and one each in Rivas Vaciamadrid, Illescas, Don Benito, and Denia. Arrests in Spain occurred in Madrid, Rivas Vaciamadrid, Recas, Almeria, and Talavera de la Reina.
During the searches, police seized 163 kilogrammes of cocaine, nearly 98,000 euro in cash, a firearm, 12 vehicles, 14 mobile phones, and over 1,000 precursors alongside precision scales, presses, moulds, and stamps. Authorities also blocked assets valued at nearly 115,000 euro in vehicles and 258,000 euro in real estate. The investigation remains open, and further arrests have not been ruled out.
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