The Spanish National Police has dismantled a criminal organization of Albanian origin, which operated mainly on the Costa del Sol and used Catalonia as one of its logistical bases for storing large quantities of cocaine.
The operation led to 15 arrests and the seizure of more than 2.7 tons of cocaine, while authorities also confiscated around two dozen firearms and 29 luxury vehicles. According to investigators, the organization had its main base on the Costa del Sol, but used Catalonia to temporarily store drug shipments before they were sent to other European countries.
In a villa in Sant Just Desvern, near Barcelona, police found 1,351 kilograms of cocaine hidden in the garage. The property was rented out only for short periods, in some cases for just a weekend, in order to make it difficult to detect the activity.
Catalonia's position near the border with France made this territory an important point for drug transportation to other European countries.
🚩 Desarticulated a criminal organization dedicated to the importation and exportation of #cocaína to other European countries ➡️ 15 people detained 👮🏻♂️ Intervenidos more than 2.700 k. de cocaína, 800 gramos de #tusi, 2 #armas de fuego cortas y 29 🚘 de alta gama 📍Parte del estupefaciente trasladado hasta guarderías located in #Málaga and #Barcelona
— National Police (@policia) September 17, 2026
Investigators have discovered that the group had created a structure linked to the car trade and had a fleet of powerful and luxurious cars, used for drug transportation.
Members of the organization took strong measures against surveillance. According to the police, some of them traveled more than 2,000 kilometers in a single day, in convoys of up to five vehicles. In some cases, the vehicles traveled at speeds of over 200 kilometers per hour.
The drugs, according to investigators, came from Colombia and initially passed through the Campo de Gibraltar area. They were then sent to storage points in Spain, before being transported further to Europe.
The operation, which began in 2025, was carried out in several stages. On April 10, police carried out searches in Málaga, Estepona, Marbella and Churriana. At the same time, a villa in Sant Just Desvern was searched, where 1,351 kilograms of cocaine were found.
The investigation continued over the following months with arrests in Alicante, Málaga and Barcelona, as well as searches for people who had fled Spain. A total of 15 people were arrested, with 12 of them remanded in custody, according to Spanish media reports.
Police have also seized cash, jewelry, luxury watches, crypto assets and other assets suspected of being linked to the organization's activity. Spanish authorities consider the group a dangerous and organized structure, with family ties between some of its members and the use of other people as formal names for renting properties and vehicles.
The operation has hit a network that, according to investigators, was specialized not only in storing drugs, but also in transporting them over long distances and distributing them to other European markets. Spanish authorities have stated that Catalonia should not serve as a haven for organized crime. /LAPSI.al
