article_detail

 

Police in Lanzarote have broken up a significant cocaine operation after uncovering 55 kilograms of the drug concealed in a tourist apartment. The arrests followed an investigation by the Narcotics Group of the Arrecife Local Police, working alongside the Policía Nacional. Three men aged 44, 47, and 49, all with previous convictions for drug trafficking, were taken into custody.

 

Officers began looking into the group after noticing the men made frequent trips from Gran Canaria to Lanzarote, often staying only briefly. Suspecting they were involved in drug distribution, police kept them under close watch.

 

The men were eventually spotted carrying heavy bags into a holiday home in Playa Honda, a busy residential area near César Manrique-Lanzarote Airport known for its many vacation rentals. When police stopped one of the cars, they found 18 packages of cocaine, weighing about 20 kilos, stuffed into two backpacks. A search of the apartment revealed another 32 packages, about 35 kilos more.

 

One of the group was caught trying to leave the island at Lanzarote Airport. The drugs seized are worth more than €1.6 million on the streets, with each kilo valued at roughly €29,000. After appearing before a court, the three men were remanded in custody.

 

This bust comes amid a rise in cocaine seizures across Europe. The European Union Drug Agency reported a record 323 tonnes seized by member states in 2022, with Spain among the leaders alongside Belgium and the Netherlands. Reports for 2024 and 2025 warn that cocaine remains the second most popular illegal drug in Europe, with supply, purity, and availability all on the rise.

 

 

Image: Policía Nacional