A National Police operation has dismantled a Bulgarian-led drug trafficking ring that allegedly planned to distribute drugs in southern Gran Canaria, among other areas. The investigation culminated in the seizure of a significant stash and the uncovering of the gang's logistical methods. The gang operated in a coordinated manner between Málaga (Fuengirola and Coín) and the Canary Islands. In total, the police have removed a substantial quantity of narcotics from the illicit market, with an estimated combined value of approximately €100.000.
The Public Prosecutor's Office has requested sentences totaling more than 60 years in prison for the eight members of the aforementioned criminal group, allegedly dedicated to the importation and distribution of narcotics in Gran Canaria. The organization, composed mainly of Bulgarian nationals, used sophisticated concealment systems in vehicles and suitcases to transport both drugs and large sums of cash. The investigation, carried out by the National Police Corps between 2018 and 2020, culminated in the seizure of a significant haul and the uncovering of the gang's logistical methods. The gang operated in a coordinated manner between Málaga (Fuengirola and Coín) and the Canary Islands. In total, the police operations have removed a substantial quantity of narcotics from the illicit market, with a combined value estimated at approximately €100.000.
Cocaine: 1.226 grams with a purity of 80,59% were intercepted, hidden in a suitcase with a false bottom ("stash") during a trip from Málaga to Gran Canaria. Regarding cannabis (marijuana), in various searches carried out in Fuengirola, the police found a total of 30.960 grams (more than 30 kilos) distributed between a private residence and an industrial warehouse. In a warehouse in Coín (Málaga), linked to the group, two pistols capable of firing (one with the serial number erased), bulletproof vests, and a large quantity of ammunition were located.
One of the most significant aspects of the operation was the seizure of large amounts of cash, presumably from drug sales in the islands. The group used a fleet of vehicles (Smart, Saab, Fiat Panda, and Audi A6 models) equipped with hidden compartments or "stashes." During a check at Lisbon airport, €158.840 was found concealed in the luggage of one of the ringleaders. However, the largest haul was discovered inside an Audi A6, where officers found €599.450 hidden in a false bottom under the center armrest. In total, the amount of cash seized exceeds €758.000.
The Public Prosecutor's Office classifies the acts as a crime against public health (in a significant quantity), membership in a criminal organization, and illegal possession of firearms. For these charges, it requests ten years in prison and a fine of €350.000 each for the ringleaders (AIB and MVR); nine years in prison and fines of €300.000 for the collaborators and transporters; and two years and six months in prison for the person responsible for the safekeeping of the weapons. The indictment requests the opening of a trial before the Provincial Court, stating that the defendants acted with "total disregard for the health of others" within a professionalized structure that connected production centers on the Spanish mainland with points of sale in Gran Canaria.
