Suitcases filled with cocaine were not assigned to any passenger on certain flights heading to Madrid. The operation linked several parties through an organized network that allowed contraband to move from the capital of Paraguay toward European destinations, with staff at Silvio Pettirossi International Airport in on the planning. A baggage attendant was implicated in removing the right luggage from the hold and bypassing security checks to keep the smuggling scheme hidden along the route between Asuncion and Madrid.
Officials from the National Police recovered 24 kilograms of cocaine and 120,000 euros in cash from the trunk. One of seven individuals detained in operation Larios, a waiter by trade, became the first link in the supply chain extending from Madrid to the Costa del Sol, extending toward Marbella. The gang and its leader, a forty-year-old with no prior criminal record, suddenly appeared with a high level of mobility and control over illicit funds. In crucial moments, such as final delivery, Iskender moved through Madrid wearing a €700 sweatshirt and a distinctive wig, staying at a prominent hotel known as Eurostars Tower while the money and goods flowed through the network.
Researchers from Udyco – Costa del Sol and its headquarters traced the main collaborators through a subordinate who coordinated actions. The investigations led investigators to two Marbella residences, another in Estepona, and a quarter in Vélez-Málaga. The most productive records emerged from the first town, revealing a progression that soon uncovered another 26 kilograms of the same white powder, along with nearly 8 kilograms of a powerful synthetic stimulant. A separate capture in Spain yielded 13.25 kilograms of this hallucinogenic substance, later identified in Ibiza last summer.
This marked the second largest seizure of this synthetic hallucinogen in Spain, following the 13.25 kilograms detected by authorities in Ibiza during the previous summer.
Often referred to as pink cocaine for its color and distinct effects, the substance blends with LSD and MDMA in some reports and carries a price tag that makes it the preserve of affluent circles. An officer involved in the operation explained that grams can fetch 150 to 200 euros on the street, while the stash of tusi positioned around Marbella could be produced locally for an estimated 1.2 to 1.6 million euros. By contrast, 50 kilograms of cocaine on the black market could be worth about one to two and a half million euros in gross value.
Authorities noted that the operation yielded a fleet of nine vehicles, multiple mobile phones, luxury watches, 110,000 euros in cash, a firearm, and 500 ammunition rounds, all of which supported the smuggling and distribution network in the region.