Europol and Spanish police dismantle international drug trafficking network

Spanish authorities, in coordination with Europol, have dismantled a major international drug trafficking and money laundering network through ‘Operation Fast Lap’. The operation resulted in 27 arrests, including one leader captured in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, and 26 arrests across Spanish cities such as Madrid, Málaga, Ibiza, and León.

The criminal organization transported cocaine from Colombia and Panama to Europe using maritime containers. Investigations revealed that the network laundered illicit profits through real estate investments and luxury developments in areas like Ibiza and Marbella. Authorities seized over 1,500 kilograms of cocaine in Panama and blocked 95 properties.

In separate criminal activities, police in Málaga reported the presence of a Swedish hitman network operating on the Costa del Sol, involving the recruitment of young individuals for contract killings. Additionally, law enforcement in Granada seized over 7,300 marijuana plants and several firearms, while in Lanzarote, an individual was arrested for possessing a modified revolver stolen in 2017. In Jerez, a man was also detained following a shooting incident in Puertollano.