National Police officers, in a joint operation with the Civil Guard and the Tax Agency, have carried out an investigation that has led to the dismantling of three criminal organizations linked to the Balkan Cartel, which operated in a coordinated manner. The entire infrastructure they used to smuggle large quantities of cocaine from Colombia into Spain by hijacking container ships has been dismantled. Thirty people have been arrested, and 19 searches have been conducted, resulting in the seizure of 2,475 kilos of cocaine and several weapons of war.
Thirty people have been arrested and 19 searches have been carried out, resulting in the seizure of more than 2,475 kilos of cocaine, approximately €100,000 in cash, jewelry and watches worth €100,000, eight high-end vehicles, weapons of war, 215 jerrycans of gasoline, various nautical equipment and ladders used in the raids, as well as GPS tracking devices. Additionally, real estate assets worth nearly €5 million and four cryptocurrency wallets have been frozen.
Three interconnected criminal organizations
Following the seizure of 88 kilos of cocaine inside a vehicle in the town of Mijas, Málaga, in October 2024, an investigation was launched in which agents uncovered three criminal organizations dedicated to smuggling the drug into Spain. One of these organizations was linked to the Balkan Cartel and owned the drugs, while another, comprised of Colombian nationals, operated both in Colombia and in Spain.
To smuggle cocaine shipments in shipping containers aboard container ships, they used the “monkey” technique. This drug trafficking method involves using young people from low-income families who are good swimmers to load the drugs onto vessels at sea. Later, members of the same organization would travel to Spain to hijack the containers, intercepting the ships before they reached the Strait of Gibraltar. For this, they relied on the logistical infrastructure provided by a third criminal organization based in the Campo de Gibraltar region.
First failed assault
In the middle of this year, the crew of a ship bound for the port of Cádiz alerted the Maritime Rescue Service to the presence of stowaways on deck, leading to the seizure of 1,355 kilograms of cocaine hidden in a container. The ensuing investigation revealed that three men tasked with retrieving the drugs had hastily returned to their country.
Shortly afterwards, another ship passing through Portuguese waters alerted the authorities of that country about the hijacking of the vessel by stowaways carrying long guns, who managed to unload several bales hidden in a container, in this case achieving the rescue of the narcotic substance by the organization.
They used the drop-off technique
Continuing the investigation, during September and October, another drug seizure was detected. Three members of the Colombian organization and two men belonging to the Balkan Cartel cell based on the Costa del Sol, supported by the organization responsible for providing the high-speed boats, were able to recover the drugs from one of the containers using the drop-off technique. This method involves throwing the merchandise from a cargo ship for collection by smaller vessels near the destination country. The crew of the smaller vessels is subdued, and the drugs are extracted from inside the containers using military techniques and weapons of war.
In this way, cocaine was introduced into towns located in the Gulf of Cadiz, where it was hidden and finally transported by road to European countries.
As the investigation progressed, the various storage facilities used for the drugs were located. Nineteen raids were carried out, resulting in the seizure of 1,032 kilograms of cocaine, eight high-end vehicles, weapons of war, 215 jerrycans of gasoline, various nautical equipment, ladders used in the raids, and GPS tracking devices. In total, 2,475 kilograms of cocaine, more than €166,000 in cash, and jewelry and watches worth €100,000 were seized.