The Civil Guard intercepted a warehouse in the port of Barcelona, seizing 3.2 tons of khat with an estimated value of 61 million euros and detaining one of the alleged traffickers. This operation marks the largest European seizure of khat, a drug with hallucinogenic and stimulant properties that originates from Africa and Southern Arabia.
According to an official statement from the armed institute, investigators uncovered a business network involved in importing khat, also known as cathinone. The leaves of a particular shrub are traditionally chewed or consumed as an infusion, though there are synthetic variants that can deliver stronger effects.
Investigators began their inquiry earlier this year, following intelligence that, with a police operation in France, khat could be stored within the port facilities at Barcelona. The network maintained branches across multiple countries and operated to push khat into the European Union via Spain, employing a layered corporate structure intended to obscure trade routes and prevent clear identification by customs specialists.
In an attempt to bypass audit checks, falsified customs declarations were used in a manner that significantly hindered risk analysis for these types of products. As the inquiry progressed, authorities arrested a Spanish national connected to the network in Barcelona and opened investigations into three companies tied to him and the 61 million euro worth of seized drugs.
Efforts to locate the remaining members of the network proved challenging, as the operation targeted the import of the drug from third countries and the individuals involved were dispersed across different jurisdictions. The operation represented a major blow to the khat supply chain in Europe, underscoring coordinated efforts across agencies and borders to disrupt illicit trafficking.
The activity was conducted in collaboration with regional authorities and specialized units, including health and toxicology bodies, forensic sciences institutes, and the customs offices at both the port and the Barcelona airport. These partnerships played a critical role in the identification, seizure, and subsequent investigative steps that followed the interception.
Authorities stressed that the investigation continues to unfold as officers work to trace additional links within the network, identify other implicated entities, and determine the full scope of the operation. The case illustrates how organized crime networks leverage international routes and complex corporate front structures to move contraband through key logistics hubs, posing ongoing challenges to customs controls and border security in Europe.