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Spanish police break up criminal network that used swimmers to hide cocaine on ships
The Guardian
•January 15, 2026•By Sam Jones in Madrid👁️0
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Almost 2.5 tonnes of drug seized and 30 people arrested after 15-month investigation into gangs using ‘monkey’ techniqueFalling price of cocaine forces drug traffickers to reuse narco-submarines, say Spanish policeSpanish police have arrested 30 people and seized almost 2.5 tonnes of cocaine after breaking up a criminal network that used teams of young swimmers to hide the drugs on moving, Europe-bound ships which were then attacked and relieved of their unwitting cargo before reaching port.The 15-month investigation began in October 2024 when Policía Nacional officers found 88kg (194lbs) of cocaine in a vehicle in the southern Spanish town of Mijas. The drugs led them to three gangs, including a Balkan cartel, who were working together to bring huge quantities of cocaine into Spain from Colombia. Continue reading...
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