A national police operation led to the detention of four individuals accused of belonging to a criminal network that specialized in concealing drugs inside cans stored in an industrial warehouse. The incident took place in the Guadalhorce area of Malaga, where a coordinated effort uncovered a scheme aimed at distributing narcotics through ordinary food packaging channels.
The four detainees, aged between 25 and 60, were identified as involved in drug trafficking and as active members of a criminal organization. Police reports indicate that two of those arrested were sentenced to prison by a magistrate during preliminary proceedings, illustrating the severity of the charges faced by the accused.
During the course of the operation, authorities seized substantial quantities of illegal substances, including 211 kilograms of marijuana, fifteen cannabis plants, ten grams of heroin, and 125 grams of MDMA. In addition to the drugs, investigators found the full logistical setup used to keep materials hidden, a canning line, and another machine used for vacuum sealing, all intended to facilitate the concealment and transport of contraband.
Background intelligence revealed suspicious activity at a warehouse in the Guadalhorce industrial zone. Observations documented movements within the facility, unusual activity around a cargo van that made brief stops with its doors shut, and the apparent lack of legitimate commercial operations on the property. Based on these indicators, investigators initiated a thorough inquiry and confirmed that the site functioned as a storage point for food products while serving as a cover for drug storage.
In addition to the narcotics haul, authorities recovered eight pallets of tomato cans and three pallets of olive containers, a forklift, a GPS locator, and several mobile devices. The operation highlighted the improvisational nature of the crew, which relied on a canning process to blend illegal goods with ordinary food items, allowing shipments to traverse the national geography and even reach international destinations while escaping detection.
Two primary suspects, aged 25 and 30, were central in the network’s activities, and approximately ten thousand euros in cash were seized from the scene. Investigators also captured a father and daughter who had chartered a ship and managed a business from the same location, placing them under investigation for alleged involvement in the criminal organization.
The court ordered the imprisonment of the two main individuals under investigation as the case proceeds before the Ninth Investigation Court in Malaga. The broader investigation remains active as authorities piece together the operational structure of the network and its routes, with prosecutors continuing to pursue charges related to drug trafficking, money laundering, and conspiracy to commit crimes. The operation illustrates how criminal groups adapt their logistics to evade law enforcement, using legitimate-seeming facilities and packaging workflows to hide illicit substances within everyday goods.
Officials emphasized the importance of vigilant inspections at industrial warehouses and food storage facilities, noting that the concealment of drugs inside cans and other food containers poses a persistent challenge to enforcement agencies. The case underscores the ongoing efforts of police and judicial authorities in Malaga to dismantle networks that exploit legitimate supply chains for illicit purposes, and it signals continuing surveillance and investigation by the prosecution service as new leads emerge from the seized materials and communications.
Notably, the intervention also involved the seizure of equipment and technology essential to the operation, including the canning equipment and vacuum packaging machinery that facilitated the process. The findings point to a carefully organized scheme with multiple layers of operation, from production and concealment to distribution and international movement, all coordinated by the individuals detained and the associated associates in the network.