The National Police dismantled two hidden cocaine processing labs in a major operation carried out in the Barcelona region. The action led to the seizure of more than 800 kilograms of drugs and the arrest of seven individuals.
Officials stated that the criminal organization specialized in cocaine production and distributed its product across the country. Secret laboratories were located in Alella and El Masnou before the narcotics were distributed nationwide.
In addition to the drugs, investigators recovered cash, including 152,000 euros, five vehicles, a firearm, hydraulic presses, and substantial quantities of chemical precursors used in the manufacturing of electronic devices, among other items related to the operation.
The National Police began the investigation in 2020 and carried it out in three phases, ultimately enabling the complete dismantling of this Barcelona-based crime network.
By the end of 2020, authorities identified a Dominican-based group allegedly involved in cocaine trafficking. In the initial phase, officers arrested two suspects and seized 33 kilograms of cocaine along with 52,000 euros in cash.
Over subsequent inquiries, investigators traced the organization’s members and confirmed their presence in the Barcelona area, with a concentration in Badalona.
At the start of August, during the second phase, authorities observed a key suspect meeting with another individual carrying a suspicious bag. Inside the bag, officials uncovered three cocaine blocks weighing a total of 3.3 kilograms, leading to the arrest of the individual.
A search of a residence in Badalona yielded 2.5 kilograms of cocaine, 25,180 euros, 2,300 Swiss francs, a watch valued at 6,000 euros, a mobile phone worth 1,600 euros, and a motorcycle.
A few days later, in the operation’s third phase, three more people were arrested as police conducted five house searches across Barcelona’s periphery and surrounding towns, including Montgat, Alella, Badalona, Santa Coloma de Gramenet, and the city itself.
During searches in Alella, investigators found narcotics prepared for distribution in Montgat and uncovered a secret laboratory where processing and preparation of cocaine took place. Authorities recovered 497 kilograms of cocaine, a firearm, 75,120 euros in cash, five vehicles, 12 cell phones, six luxury watches, and a bill-counting machine.
In a subsequent arrest in Barcelona, a seventh suspect faced charges related to involvement in the criminal plot focused on processing and distributing cocaine. A home search in El Masnou unveiled a second, smaller cocaine processing and production lab, where 292 kilograms of the substance were seized along with substantial quantities of chemical precursors—most notably 1,250 liters of hexane and 198 liters of sodium bisulfite.
The operation concluded with seven arrests and the seizure of 836,871 kilograms of cocaine, 3,450 liters of chemical products, 152,000 euros in cash, five vehicles, a firearm, molds, hydraulic presses, and various electronic devices and other valuable items. The breadth of the seizure underscored the sophisticated nature of the cartel and its extensive distribution network.