Spanish police disrupt large-scale drug trafficking operation via Valencia port

Sunday 06 April 2025 - 10:00

By: Zahouani Ilham

Spanish police disrupt large-scale drug trafficking operation via Valencia port

The Spanish police reported the seizure of one ton of cocaine and the arrest of 20 individuals in a major operation targeting a criminal organization smuggling drugs through the Port of Valencia, located in the eastern part of Spain. The operation led to the arrest of 17 people in Spain, with 10 of them being placed under provisional detention, as well as two arrests in Belgium and one in France.

During the operation, officers conducted 11 searches across Spain and Belgium, seizing more than 1,000 kilograms of cocaine, virtual wallets, two firearms, and eight high-end vehicles, among other items.

The criminal group is suspected of smuggling cocaine in containers arriving at Valencia port, hiding it among legitimate goods without the knowledge of the operators involved.

According to the Spanish police, the leader of the Belgian branch of the organization, who was residing in luxury properties on the Valencian coast, was considered one of the country's most wanted criminals. He had been on the run for four years and was the subject of an Interpol red notice.