17 people arrested in a massive operation against drug money laundering and trafficking in Mallorca.
The criminal organization was dedicated to smuggling cocaine and hashish from North Africa.
PalmThe National Police and Civil Guard have arrested 17 people allegedly linked to a money laundering and drug trafficking ring operating out of Mallorca. This is the third phase of the operation, which began on August 11 and in which the alleged leader of the gang and leader of the United Tribuns, Stefan Milojevic, and National Police Inspector Faustino Nogales were arrested, according to sources close to the search.
During this Friday, investigators carried out seven house searches, three of them in Soledad, Son Oliva, and Son Banya (Palma), and another four in Pont d'Inca, Sóller, Muro, and Llucmajor. In total, 17 people allegedly linked to the money laundering ring have been arrested: six during the morning searches and 11 in the operation deployed during the afternoon in Son Banya.
In the town, officers dismantled 11 drug dealing points and seized various quantities of narcotics, money, and tools used for drug trafficking.
35 arrested
The operation, dubbed 'Enroque Bal, Manso y Primo', had several phases, and this Friday's is the third in which arrests were made in Mallorca.
A total of 35 people allegedly linked to the plot have been arrested. Around fifteen, including Milojevic, Nogueres, and lawyer Gonzalo Márquez, were arrested during the first phase, and a large portion were provisionally imprisoned. Last Tuesday, three more suspects who allegedly acted as front men were arrested, in addition to the 17 arrested this Friday.
The investigation, led by Palma's Investigative Court No. 7, remains under seal.
Tons of drugs from North Africa
The investigation entered the exploitation phase last Monday, the 11th, when National Police and Civil Guard officers carried out 13 raids in Palma, Marratxí, Binissalem, Inca, Pollensa, Llucmajor, Sencelles, and Sóller. These raids resulted in the seizure of €1.4 million, 11.3 kilos of cocaine, around 100 marijuana plants, four firearms with a large amount of ammunition, silencers, eight cars, two motorcycles, a jet ski, six luxury watches, and four works of art.
The gang allegedly smuggled cocaine and hashish from North Africa aboard high-powered inflatable boats. They first arranged a collection point somewhere in the Mediterranean, where they transferred the drugs from the so-called "gomas" to other boats. From there, they took the merchandise to Ibiza, where it was stored for a time until it was transported to the rest of the Balearic Islands and the Iberian Peninsula.
On July 9, 675 kilos of cocaine were seized in the port of Valencia. They had previously been collected in the Mediterranean and transported to the largest of the Pitiusas, where it was stored for a few days before heading to the Iberian Peninsula and other European countries.
In September of last year, investigators seized a shipment of 200 kilos of hashish from Ibiza that was supposedly supposed to be received by the gang members in Palma. Furthermore, the suspects are allegedly linked to the seizure of several tons of hashish.