Drug bust in Ibiza: Gang carrying large quantities of cocaine and hashish dismantled
The joint investigation by the Civil Guard, National Police and Customs Surveillance has resulted in 26 arrests and the seizure of more than 11 tons of drugs in Ibiza.
PalmThe Civil Guard, Customs Surveillance of the Tax Agency, and the National Police have dismantled a criminal organization based in Ibiza dedicated to large-scale drug trafficking, as part of Operations Cavalieri, Norte, and Coktel. The investigation resulted in 26 arrests and the seizure of 1,558 kilos of cocaine and almost 11 tons of hashish. According to authorities, the network operated using maritime routes between South America, the Iberian Peninsula, and the island of Ibiza, combining multiple entry points for the drugs: trucks traveling by ferry, containers in the port of Valencia, and speedboats arriving directly in Ibiza. The investigation, which began in 2023 with the seizure of 8.3 tons of hashish on a beach in the north of the island, has demonstrated that the organization had a hierarchical and compartmentalized structure, capable of providing logistical support to national and international criminal groups. One of those arrested specialized in the distribution and management of encrypted messaging systems, a key tool for coordinating the organization. The most significant operations of 2025 included the seizure of 2,400 kilos of hashish in the port of Ibiza and over 1,000 kilos of cocaine in Valencia and Ibiza, as well as several arrests in Mallorca and Ibiza as part of operations coordinated with mainland authorities. The operation culminated on December 16 with nine raids and 11 arrests in various municipalities of Ibiza. Currently, 12 people remain at large, and further arrests are expected. The investigation involved the collaboration of various specialized units from Customs Surveillance, the Civil Guard, and the National Police, with support from intervention and security groups, under the supervision of the Court of Instruction Number 3 of Ibiza and the Anti-Drug Prosecutor's Office delegated to the island. According to the Civil Guard, this operation demonstrates the authorities' ability to dismantle complex criminal structures operating in connection with international organizations. It also highlights the importance of coordination between police forces to combat large-scale drug trafficking in the Balearic Islands.
