• The operation has resulted in the arrest of seven people, five men and two women, for drug trafficking, illegal possession of weapons and belonging to a criminal group

• Five house searches were carried out in which 17 kilos of marijuana buds, 110 grams of cocaine, 260 marijuana plants, a firearm with ammunition, 78,240 euros, valuable jewelry, five scales and seven vehicles, among other items, were seized.

• The judge ordered five of the detainees to be imprisoned.

April 1, 2026. Customs Surveillance officials from the Tax Agency and agents of the National Police, within the framework of the 'Alliance-Fariña-Cereal' operation, have carried out the dismantling of a criminal organization dedicated to drug trafficking. The police operation has resulted in the arrest of seven people, five men and two women, aged between 36 and 42, for their alleged involvement in the crimes of drug trafficking, illegal possession of weapons and belonging to a criminal group.

During an investigation into a criminal organization dedicated to drug trafficking, in the first phase, one of its members was arrested, and 200 grams of cocaine were seized from him during a police operation.

Subsequently, another member of the organization was arrested while transporting in his vehicle, hidden in a false bottom –stash–, four packages containing cocaine camouflaged in containers of powdered milk and ground coffee, with a total weight of 3.5 kilos.

Structure and functioning of the organization

As a result of these two arrests, a second phase of the investigation was initiated, focusing the inquiries on the main suspect, considered the leader of the organization.

Through surveillance and monitoring, the rest of the group members were identified, who performed different functions within the criminal structure. While some were in charge of acquiring the narcotic substance, using vehicles with hidden compartments –stashes–, others took on the tasks of concealment and subsequent distribution to third parties.

Once the sales were made, the money obtained was handed over to the leader of the organization.

Exploitation and dismantling phase of the criminal organization

In the exploitation phase of the investigation, a police operation was established that culminated in the complete dismantling of the criminal organization under investigation. As a result of this operation, six simultaneous searches were carried out in the town of Elche, resulting in the arrest of seven people, five men and two women, for their alleged involvement in the crimes of drug trafficking, illegal possession of weapons and belonging to a criminal group.

During the raids and searches, 17 kilos of vacuum-packed marijuana, 110 grams of cocaine, 260 marijuana plants, a firearm with ammunition, 78,240 euros in cash, heavy and valuable jewelry, five precision scales and seven vehicles were seized, some of them prepared with hidden compartments in their rear seats for the transport and concealment of the narcotic substance.

Similarly, the blocking of various assets of the dismantled organization was requested, consisting of real estate, vehicles and banking products.

Five of the detainees have been placed at the disposal of the duty investigating courts of the town of Elche. After being brought before the court, all of them were ordered to be held in pretrial detention.