• The organization used sophisticated systems to hide drugs in vehicles and carried out drug and money transfers to finance its operations.

• A total of 5.5 kilos of cocaine and other narcotic substances have been seized

November 3, 2024.- Customs Surveillance of the Tax Agency and the National Police, in an operation directed by the Investigative Court No. 1 of Corcubión (A Coruña), have dismantled a criminal organization dedicated to drug trafficking with branches in different parts of the Galician geography with the realization of ten house searches and the arrest of eleven people. In addition, a total of 5.5 kilos of cocaine have been seized.

The investigation began at the beginning of the year, when investigators detected in A Coruña the presence of a Galician citizen, based in the town of Cee and with a criminal record for drug trafficking, who was dedicated to transporting narcotic substances for various criminal drug trafficking organizations. To do this, he used rental vehicles and, more commonly, vehicles equipped with a 'caleta', that is, a drug concealment system designed inside these vehicles. His presence was also detected at a major drug sales point in the town of Carballo, where his main partner in the organization resides.

The leader of the organisation, based in the town of Cee in the province of Coruña, did not hesitate to cross Spain aboard one of his vehicles, or a rented car, exclusively to hold a meeting of minutes with a drug supplier, with the aim of preparing future drug acquisition operations. Thus, during the months of investigation in court, he held numerous interviews with people belonging to third-party criminal organisations preparing the introduction of significant quantities of drugs into Spain by sea.

Once the leader of the organisation himself acquired the narcotic substance in different parts of Spain, he hid it in various places marked by the organisation in the province of A Coruña, specifically in the Carballo area.

After the drug had been adulterated and manipulated, it was distributed in Galicia by several subordinates of the leader of the organisation, who had the close collaboration of his partner, who had a history of crimes against persons and was a resident of Carballo. They had both met in prison.

The leader of the organization acted as a 'shuttle'

In June, investigators detected a trip by the leader of the organisation to Madrid using a third person to transport the drugs in a vehicle equipped with a hidden concealment system. In this case, the main suspect was acting as a 'shuttle' aboard his vehicle to detect police presence on the road.

In order to successfully complete the investigation and completely dismantle the organization, the police proceeded to stop the transporter, who was arrested after five kilos of cocaine were found hidden in his vehicle.

As a result of police coordination, the participating police units began to identify several collaborators and members of the organization with a well-defined distribution of roles. Several members of the network were responsible for distributing the drugs to end consumers, others were responsible for hiding them, while others were responsible for transporting these narcotic substances.

Security measures for the detainees were extremely tight in the search for police presence and in the transfer and delivery of the narcotic, thus making the investigation difficult and even requiring the use of technical means to detect whether they were being followed by the police.

Once all the members of the organization were identified, and with a large deployment in Galicia, ten entry and search warrants were carried out in Corcubión (4), Carballo (4) and Muros (1) in Coruña, and in Illa de Arousa (1) in Pontevedra.

During these proceedings, various narcotic substances, money, handling tools and small indoor plantations were seized.

In total, 5.5 kilos of cocaine, three kilos of hashish, one kilo of marijuana, 56,000 euros in cash, a firearm, several simulated firearms, prohibited weapons, four vehicles, three of them with a homemade concealment system (caletas), precision scales and various documents were seized.

The operation against drug trafficking has been carried out jointly by the Regional Narcotics Information Group of the Customs Surveillance Operational Unit of Galicia (operation 'Baleas'), the Drugs and Organized Crime Unit of A Coruña (operation 'Winter') and Greco Galicia.

Four of those arrested have already been sent to prison. The investigation remains open and further arrests cannot be ruled out.