• The woman, who had 60 capsules of cocaine on her body and was trying to transport them to Madrid, was arrested at a checkpoint at Palma airport.

• The leader of the organization was arrested in Madrid after a joint investigation.

August 14, 2025.- Customs Surveillance officers from the Tax Agency, in collaboration with the Civil Guard, have arrested the man behind a drug trafficking network operating from the Balearic Islands, using people as mules to transport narcotics, as part of Operation Barclo. The operation began with the arrest of a passenger at Palma airport and culminated with the capture of the organization's leader in Madrid.

The operation began when Civil Guard officers intercepted a 61-year-old woman last December as she attempted to board a flight to Madrid. During a security check, he was found to be carrying 60 cocaine capsules concealed in his clothing, weighing a total of 830 grams. Following his arrest, the Judicial Authority ordered his remand in custody.

The investigations, carried out jointly by Customs Surveillance officials from the Tax Agency and the Civil Guard, seemed to indicate that the woman was not acting alone. Finally, it was confirmed that this person was working with a South American man who allegedly coordinated the operations from Madrid.

Following all of the above, the suspect was located and arrested on July 31 in the Madrid district of Villaverde. The 41-year-old suspect was brought before a court and held in provisional detention without bail for drug trafficking and money laundering.