A joint operation between the Spanish National Police, the Portuguese Judicial Police, and the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has dismantled a criminal network that smuggled cocaine hidden in onion sacks from Peru to Valencia. This criminal network was one of the most active organizations in the Levante. Eleven of its members were arrested in Valencia, Madrid, and Algeciras. One of the members is still wanted.
The investigation, initiated in November 2024, revealed that the network used transport companies to smuggle the drug from the Port of Paita, Peru, to the Port of Valencia, in a legal load of onions. The final destination was Portugal, where a front company received the shipments, while another in Spain managed the logistics to evade the authorities.
The key moment of the operation was in December 2024, when agents identified a suspicious shipment of three containers loaded with onions headed to Valencia. The organization moved these containers to an industrial warehouse in Almussafes, implementing counter-surveillance maneuvers to detect any police presence.
The police raided the place while several members were unloading the sacks to extract the drugs. Six people were arrested and 940 kilograms of high-purity cocaine were seized. In the warehouse, authorities found surveillance devices that transmitted live images, an additional security measure.
According to the police investigation, the network is led by two brothers responsible for coordinating shipments and distribution. One was arrested at Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas airport while attempting to flee to Dubai, the other in Algeciras.
One of the main perpetrators managed to escape and is wanted internationally. This Valencian drug trafficker, with an extensive criminal record, already had several warrants for drug trafficking offenses. His twin brother was arrested in Colombia in 2023 and extradited to Spain.
Source: 20minutos.es