The Civil Guard dismantled a criminal group operating in Villena and Petrer, a family clan allegedly involved in the local retail drug trade. Since Operation Duamar began, seven women and two men have been taken into custody, with further inquiries continuing to shape the prosecution’s path. The investigation progressed as authorities pieced together how the clan supplied illegal substances to the area, and how those acts affected neighborhood safety and social cohesion.
The Elda Guard and Instruction Court ordered detention for three individuals described as the ringleaders of the group, identified as a daughter, her grandmother, and the granddaughter. These determinations came after a detailed review of the evidence gathered during the initial stages of the operation.
Investigations started in March 2022, when Civil Guard units and the Villena Local Police learned, through resident demonstrations in the El Rabal district, that a family clan settled in the town was deeply involved in drug trafficking. The information sparked heightened social alarm as neighbors reported the routine presence of drug activity in their streets.
To clarify these facts, the Civil Guard launched Operation Duamar, deploying the Research Area of the Villena Main Post to coordinate the inquiry. In the operation’s first phase, authorities sought to confirm alleged criminal acts and identify all clan members. Investigators established that the group dealt in cocaine, heroin, marijuana and cannabis products, using the three properties they owned in Villena and Petrer as bases for distribution.
The steady flow of drug users through residential areas had created a climate of insecurity for the communities involved, and the organization operated with a clear, hierarchical structure. At the apex stood the clan leader, a 46-year-old woman responsible for wholesale purchases and retail distribution to end customers. Directly beneath her was the leader’s mother, a 63-year-old woman who managed protection and surveillance for the illegal substances. A 20-year-old daughter of the mother acted as a frontline dealer, following instructions from above. The mother allegedly exploited her other children to transport drugs and to alert the family if police activity appeared nearby.
The operation also identified the mother’s sister, a 43-year-old, along with two additional associates, a 31-year-old woman and a 39-year-old man, who supported surveillance tasks and contributed to laundering illicit proceeds. These roles depict a tightly organized network where responsibilities escalated from procurement to distribution and money handling.
The investigation also uncovered a 50-year-old taxi driver connected to the organization, who transported drugs and facilitated movement for clan members, illustrating how the operation leveraged local transit to expand reach.
On October 5, agents, with cooperation from USECIC and the Villena Local Police, conducted simultaneous searches of three addresses in Villena and Petrer. The seizures included 10 grams of cocaine, more than 100 grams of heroin, 300 grams of cannabis, 80 grams of cannabis resin, documents, multiple mobile devices, and more than 10,000 euros in cash, along with various instruments used for drug cutting, weighing, and packaging. Two shotguns and a short firearm were recovered in the operation as well.
The investigation culminated in the arrest of nine clan members and the taxi driver, who faced charges related to public health offenses, drug trafficking, membership in a criminal organization, and money laundering. The court overseeing the case ordered the detention of the three principal figures who led the group, while the remaining defendants faced restrictions on leaving the national territory and periodic appearances in court.
With this operation, the Villena Civil Guard achieved a significant disruption of drug retail activity in Alicante Province and effectively disabled three key outlets used by the organization.