Spanish authorities have dealt a major blow to international drug traffickers, arresting 30 individuals and confiscating almost 2.5 tonnes of cocaine. The operation successfully dismantled a sophisticated criminal network that employed young swimmers and daring high-seas tactics to smuggle narcotics into Europe.
The 'Monkey' Technique and a 15-Month Investigation
The extensive 15-month probe, named Policía Nacional, began in October 2024 after officers discovered 88kg of cocaine in a vehicle in the southern town of Mijas. This initial find led investigators to three interconnected gangs, including a powerful Balkan cartel, collaborating to flood Europe with drugs from Colombia.
Central to their method was the notorious 'monkey' technique. This involved recruiting skilled swimmers, often from impoverished backgrounds, to clandestinely board moving cargo ships at sea. Their mission was to hide large shipments of cocaine within maritime containers destined for European ports.
"Members of the same organisation then headed to Spain to intercept the ships carrying the doctored containers before they reached the Strait of Gibraltar," police explained. The goal was to violently retrieve the cargo before the vessels docked.
High-Seas Interceptions and Armed Stowaways
In one dramatic incident in mid-2023, a ship bound for Cádiz reported stowaways on deck. This alert led to the seizure of a container holding a staggering 1.4 tonnes of cocaine. The stowaways, three men sent to recover the drugs, managed to flee.
Not long after, a vessel in Portuguese waters reported armed stowaways onboard. In this case, the men succeeded in unloading bundles of cocaine from a hidden container and passing them to accomplices before escaping authorities.
Later, in autumn 2023, officers identified five men—three Colombians and two Spain-based members of the Balkan cartel—using speedboats and a "drop-off" method. This tactic involved throwing drug packages from a merchant ship for collection by smaller vessels near the coast, sometimes subduing the crew with military-style techniques and weapons.
Massive Haul and European Distribution Network
Following the drugs' retrieval, the network hid them in towns along the Gulf of Cádiz before transporting them by road to other European markets. The police operation culminated in significant seizures beyond the narcotics themselves.
Authorities confiscated:
- 2,475kg of cocaine.
- Various assault weapons and war-grade equipment.
- Boarding ladders and specialised nautical gear.
- Eight high-end vehicles.
- Over €166,000 (£144,000) in cash.
- Watches and jewellery valued at approximately €100,000.
This bust follows another record-breaking seizure announced just days earlier, where police found almost 10 tonnes of cocaine hidden in a salt cargo on a ship near the Canary Islands—the largest maritime cocaine haul in Spanish history.
The series of operations highlights the relentless and increasingly audacious methods employed by cartels to feed Europe's cocaine market, and the significant resources being deployed by Spanish law enforcement to combat them.
