A major blow to a global drug network unfolded in Ibiza as Civil Guard operations disrupted the syndicate long suspected of coordinating cross border trafficking and thefts. Authorities described the Via Fora mission as a decisive strike against a group that operated well beyond local crime, targeting a far-reaching web of illegal activity in the resort area.
During a detailed briefing, officials outlined the haul, underscoring that the operation produced a significant cash cache alongside a diverse range of narcotics. The seizure included 16.4 kilos of cocaine, 13.25 kilos of cocaine derivative powders, 87,000 MDMA tablets and 5.6 kilos of ketamine. The spread of drugs seized shows the breadth of the gang’s supply lines and the variety of forms they moved through the distribution chain.
Close to half a million euros in cash was intercepted, with funds found in euros, dollars and pounds. The total captured amounted to 439,000 euros, 12,000 dollars and 30,000 pounds, illustrating how the operation linked to international financing and how the traders favored multiple currencies to mask illicit proceeds.
Law enforcement also recovered three short firearms and a silenced submachine gun, highlighting the level of armament the organization kept to enforce control over shipments and rivals. The presence of such weaponry calls for closer scrutiny of how criminal networks in tourist hubs like Ibiza arm themselves and maintain a visible posture of power.
Additional items included luxury watches and eleven high end vehicles, signaling a lavish lifestyle funded through crime. These assets reveal how organized crime blends leisure and status with broader strategic aims to intimidate rivals and sustain influence across operations.
Fourteen individuals were arrested as a result of the crackdown, twelve in Ibiza and two in Colombia. Among those detained were twelve British nationals, one Colombian, and one American woman. The geographic spread of arrests underscores the transnational character of the operation and the level of collaboration required to dismantle it.
The organization was linked to tipping schemes and thefts targeting rival groups, a claim voiced by the Balearic Islands Civil Guard colonel during the press briefing. He noted that the group kept weapons and ski masks ready for criminal undertakings and to project power over associates and witnesses.
In total, twelve searches were conducted across different parts of Ibiza as part of the Via Fora sweep. The operation showcased a coordinated approach that combined surveillance, street enforcement, and cross-border cooperation to curb a criminal trend affecting multiple jurisdictions.
Collaboration extended beyond Spain as part of a broader international effort involving the National Police, Europol, the National Crime Agency and authorities from Germany, the Netherlands and Ireland. The joint action highlights how European agencies pool resources and intelligence to confront organized crime that travels across borders and through island resorts and tourist hubs alike. The results from Via Fora underscore the value of sustained, multinational teamwork in countering sophisticated drug networks.