Joint operation between the Tax Agency and the Civil Guard

• The operation resulted in the seizure of more than 1,200 kilos of cocaine, more than 318,000 euros in cash, eight vehicles, twelve firearms, two 'taser' type electric weapons, jewelry and luxury items, as well as abundant electronic equipment and documentation.

• There are 13 detainees and two under investigation for drug trafficking, criminal organization and money laundering.

• The operation was carried out in four phases with thirteen searches and a final phase with the investigation into money laundering and 350,000 euros in blocked bank account balances.

April 17, 2026. Customs Surveillance of the Tax Agency and the Civil Guard, in a joint operation, have dismantled a criminal organization dedicated to drug trafficking through the importation of cocaine by sea. In the operation, called 'Padaguan', 1,254 gross kilos of cocaine, more than 318,000 euros in cash, eight vehicles, twelve firearms, two electric weapons of the 'taser' type, jewelry and luxury items, as well as abundant electronic material and documentation, have been seized, and it has resulted in the arrest of 13 people and two investigated for crimes of drug trafficking, belonging to a criminal organization and money laundering.

The investigation originated from an operation carried out on October 7, 2024, when Customs Surveillance officials in Barcelona and Civil Guard agents stopped a truck with a trailer that was trying to extract a container from the port of Barcelona. During the inspection, officers observed the driver taking a mobile phone from the dashboard and appearing to write a message, and they verified that the container seals had been tampered with.

After opening the container, several raffia sacks and packages wrapped in transparent film were found. Behind these bundles were three people hidden inside. Tests performed on the substance yielded a positive result for cocaine and showed a total gross weight of 1,254 kilograms, distributed in 1,096 packages. In this first operation, four people were arrested: The truck driver and the three people found inside the container were charged with a crime against public health.

Following this arrest, a joint investigation was developed that allowed the identification of the members of the criminal organization responsible for the importation of the drug. The network had different levels: people who provided the material means (such as the truck and trailer), port workers who facilitated the movement of the containers, the so-called 'rescuers', that is, those who accessed the terminal to get the drugs hidden in the containers, and other members in charge of managing the money laundering.

Four phases of exploitation

The first phase was developed immediately after the seizure of the cocaine, on October 7, 2024, when Customs Surveillance officials of the Tax Agency, the Fiscal and Border Analysis and Investigation Unit (Udaiff) of the port of Barcelona and the EDOA carried out two searches at the homes of the truck driver and one of the rescuers arrested. In these searches, among other items, 9,825 euros in cash, a microphone and beacon detection device, as well as mobile phones and documentation that was analyzed were seized.

The second phase culminated on May 30, 2025 with the arrest of two more people and with new searches of their homes. In this phase, 5,770 euros in cash and two vehicles were seized, and data was obtained that allowed further progress in identifying more members of the organization.

In the third phase, a dockworker and the person in charge of facilitating the removal of the container were arrested, and two other people were investigated for money laundering. Two searches were carried out in which 224,410 euros in cash, mobile and data storage devices, twelve firearms and a vehicle were seized, in addition to the blocking of various properties and bank accounts.

The fourth and final phase of the operation took place on January 26, 2026, with the arrest of five people and the execution of seven searches in properties and premises in the province of Barcelona, ​​where 78,390 euros in cash, numerous luxury brand items, two 'taser' type electric weapons, ammunition of different kinds, mobile devices, data storage devices, documentation and five vehicles were seized. It was also agreed to block new bank accounts and properties.

Money laundering investigation

The money laundering investigation has revealed that the organization concealed the origin of the money through various operations. Among other things, she introduced large amounts of cash into the financial system in fractional amounts, used them to purchase high-value goods, such as high-end vehicles, and moved them through businesses formalized by third parties on behalf of the true owners.

According to the analyzed documentation, the cash of unjustified origin introduced into the legal financial system exceeds 2.5 million euros. Furthermore, the organization fraudulently used peer-to-peer loans to simulate real estate transactions without actual outlays, in an operation valued at 500,000 euros.

The investigators also located more than 300,000 euros in cash at the homes of those under investigation and verified that the network used companies formally registered in the names of third parties to hide their assets. Furthermore, the use of 'crypto assets' to hide profits from drug trafficking has been confirmed.

During 2025, the main suspects strengthened their presence in the legal economy with business projects in sectors such as restaurants, without bank transactions that would justify these investments or financing from financial entities. The searches also uncovered watches, handbags, glasses and other high-value items. So far, more than 350,000 euros have been blocked in bank accounts.

In total, as part of Operation 'Padaguan', 1,254 gross kilos of cocaine, 318,395 euros in cash, eight vehicles, twelve firearms, two 'taser' type electric weapons, jewelry and luxury items, as well as abundant electronic material and documentation, have been seized. Thirteen people have been arrested and two others have been investigated for drug trafficking offenses, membership in a criminal organization and money laundering. Investigators consider the organization dismantled, along with most of those involved in the operation that attempted to seize the cocaine shipment.

The investigation and the different phases of exploitation involved the Customs Surveillance Service of the Tax Agency, the Organized Crime and Anti-Drug Team (EDOA) of the Organic Unit of Judicial Police (UOPJ) of the Civil Guard in Barcelona, ​​the Fiscal and Border Analysis and Investigation Unit (Udaiff) of the port of Barcelona, ​​the Reserve and Security Group of Barcelona, ​​the Citizen Security Unit, territorial patrols and the Pegaso Team.

The case is being handled by Courtroom 23 of the Barcelona Court of First Instance, which has ordered the provisional imprisonment of the thirteen people arrested, all of them of Spanish nationality, except for one person of Moldovan origin.