Nearly five tons of marijuana were intercepted by the National Police and Civil Guard during a major operation off the Alicante coast. The drug shipment, reportedly seized near Varadero de Santa Pola, was valued at more than 32 million euros if sold on the illicit market. The scale of the haul underscores the ongoing effort to disrupt drug trafficking networks that move large quantities of contraband through port and coastal zones in Spain.
According to authorities, the captured cargo comprised 126 bundles, weighing approximately 4,788 kilograms in total gross weight. If priced at typical illicit market rates, this amount could translate to around 32.2 million euros in the United States market or about 10.1 million euros when traded on other black-market platforms, underscoring the profitability of large-scale trafficking operations for criminal groups.
Cooperation between the Civil Guard and the National Police intensified following an information-sharing process that identified a route used for drug trafficking along the Alicante coast. Investigators noted that the effort aimed to prevent shipments such as this from reaching the shore and harming local communities. The operation also involved monitoring a vessel carrying substantial quantities of poppy-related materials from Africa, illustrating the transcontinental nature of certain drug networks.
Hours before a British-flagged yacht named the Getaway London arrived at Santa Pola harbor, security forces observed a Go-Fast style boat with four engines cruising at about 52 knots. The craft appeared to be heavily loaded with bales, prompting a coordinated surveillance deployment by the National Police and the Civil Guard to monitor access points around Santa Pola marina and detect any suspicious movements related to drug dumping.
Investigators believe this narcolancha played a role in transferring the shipment to the offshore British yacht, according to informed sources close to the case. The operation remained active, with the authorities pursuing multiple leads related to the individuals involved.
Three people were arrested in the Varadero area of Santa Pola as the yacht docked, and a fourth person surrendered to the Civil Guard after leaving documents in a van containing some of the drugs. A separate arrest was also reported in Vall d’Uixó, Castellón, involving a suspect who ultimately handed over his documents and was detained. The ongoing inquiry continues to map the network behind the operation and to locate others who may have evaded capture.
The vessel, a luxury craft about 18 meters long, had been listed for sale as a used boat with asking prices starting around 300,000 euros, though its ultimate market value was estimated at roughly one and a half million euros. This detail illustrates how criminal networks may use legitimate-looking assets to mask illicit activities and facilitate cocaine and narcotics trafficking through high-end channels.