• The merchandise was hidden in the refrigeration system of a container from Ecuador destined for Vigo.

• The two detainees, of Albanian nationality, are part of a transnational criminal organization that intended to use the port of Vigo to introduction the drugs.

February 18, 2026. Customs Surveillance officials from the Tax Agency and agents of the Civil Guard, in a joint operation, have arrested two Albanian nationals as they attempted to access the port of Vigo to retrieve 80 kilos of cocaine hidden in the refrigeration system of a container from Ecuador.

The operation began after the container was selected for analysis by the Risk Analysis Unit of the Vigo Customs. Thus, the container was subjected to inspection by 'X-rays' by the Border Radiological Control Unit, detecting that the cocaine was hidden in the refrigeration system.

Following this discovery, the Combined Unit of Customs Surveillance in Vigo, together with Edoa Pontevedra and Eco Galicia, both of the Civil Guard, began an investigation that led to the identification of a criminal organization made up of individuals of Albanian nationality whose purpose was the rescue of the narcotic substance housed inside the container located within the port area.

The attempt to recover the cocaine occurred in the early hours of Sunday, February 15th, and was immediately detected by the investigating units, who proceeded to arrest two individuals of Albanian nationality as they attempted to access the contaminated container. In addition, 61 packages of cocaine were seized, as well as various tools and equipment for recovering the drug (four large sports bags, a folding ladder, a drill, cable ties, two telephones) and a vehicle.

On Monday, February 16, during a thorough inspection of the container, which also included portable radiological equipment from the Customs Surveillance service in Vigo, nine more packages of cocaine were discovered hidden among the machinery of the container's refrigeration system. In total, more than 80 kilos of cocaine were seized.

The Customs Surveillance Service and the Civil Guard are continuing their investigations into this transnational criminal organization, and further arrests are not ruled out.

The operation has been carried out by the Combined Unit of the Customs Surveillance Service of the Tax Agency in Vigo and the Organized Crime and Anti-Drug Team (Edoa) of the Civil Guard Command in Pontevedra and the Organized Crime Team (Eco) in Galicia of the Central Operational Unit (Uco) of the Civil Guard.

The actions are coordinated under the direction of the head of Plaza 2 of the Instruction Section of the Court of First Instance of Vigo.

The discovery and seizure of the narcotic substance reinforces the image of the Port of Vigo as a safe port, despite attempts by different organizations to introduce significant quantities of cocaine hidden in the containers that usually arrive at this port from South America.

Thus, so far this year, this is the second seizure of this substance carried out in the Port of Vigo, both of which involve not only the intervention of the illicit merchandise, but also the arrest and dismantling of the criminal organizations that own the merchandise, a fact that reinforces the effectiveness of the forces and bodies in charge of the investigation, prosecution and repression of drug trafficking in Galicia, among which are the units of the Customs Surveillance Service and the Civil Guard, responsible for this operation.