The Civil Guard arrested seven people in simultaneous operations across several provinces, including the ASV unit, in a case tied to a high-profile cocaine trafficking network described by the Armed Institute as one of the most significant in the world for handling large drug shipments.
European authorities, led by Europol, consider this operation a high-value target due to the monthly volume of drugs that could be moved without geographical limits, highlighting the expansive reach of the network involved.
The operation, named Watchtower III, involved nine simultaneous seizures and was coordinated by the Civil Guard with the Prosecution Office of the No. 1 Investigative Court in Algeciras and the Anti-Drugs Delegate for Campo de Gibraltar.
Fragment of the criminal organization led by the figure known as El Tigre, reputedly the most internationally active Spanish drug trafficker in cocaine trafficking. Detainees and authorities report seizures amounting to thousands of kilograms destined for global routes. One notable seizure involved two thousand kilos of cocaine imported in a port container from Paraguay two years prior.
Investigators confirmed that El Tigre resides in Dubai, from where he controls a worldwide cocaine trafficking network spanning five continents and supervising shipments from South America to hubs in the United States. The operation maps a global distribution system with shipments routed through multiple ports around the world.
El Tigre reportedly maintained a luxurious lifestyle in Dubai and evaded local attention through low-key conduct and steady business activity, avoiding any incidents that might draw police scrutiny.
The Civil Guard had pursued possible criminal activities for several years and maintained information exchanges with Dubai Police to locate him. In late August, Dubai Police detained El Tigre following an internal investigation, prompting the Civil Guard to act swiftly on the new information.
The resulting international arrest warrants, issued through the Algeciras court, were described as a milestone of immense relevance by the Civil Guard. In addition to the main warrants, several other international detentions and searches were conducted in November as part of the ongoing investigations.
Strong cooperation between the Civil Guard and the Dubai Emirate Police has been pivotal in the success of these operations, enabling coordinated actions against major criminal networks that span multiple jurisdictions and continents and illustrating the value of cross-border law enforcement collaboration in disrupting global drug trafficking routes.