The Port of Barcelona has once again become a key point in the ongoing fight against drug trafficking. The Spanish National Police, in collaboration with Customs Surveillance officers from the Spanish Tax Agency, recently intercepted a shipment containing 358 packages of cocaine, totaling 408 kilograms. The drugs were hidden in two containers at the port, employing a technique known as “gancho ciego” or “ripp-off.” This method involves placing illicit substances parasitically inside the legal cargo within the shipping container.
The cocaine shipment originated in Ecuador, and unlike a previous major bust in May involving drugs from Panama, no arrests have been made at this stage. However, the investigation remains open, and authorities are continuing to probe the case.
A Routine Interception
The National Police initiated the investigation after receiving intelligence about a potential shipment containing narcotics concealed separately from the declared legal goods. These containers, which originated in Ecuador, were not meant to end their journey in Barcelona but were merely passing through the port as a maritime stop. However, there was concern that “rescatadores” – members of the criminal group responsible for retrieving the drugs – could show up to collect the cargo once it arrived.
After an extensive search, officers located the two containers. In the first, they discovered three burlap packages and nine sports bags, containing a total of 232 bricks of cocaine. The second container held another 126 packages of the drug. The investigation is being handled by the Provincial Judicial Police Brigade and the Central UDYCO, along with the Customs Surveillance Service of the Tax Agency.
Cocaine from Ecuador and Panama
This seizure is far from the first of its kind in Barcelona. The port has become a frequent site for large-scale drug busts, often involving shipments from South America. In March, a joint operation between the National Police and the Civil Guard led to the confiscation of 649 kilos of cocaine hidden inside a container from Panama. Multiple stages of the investigation resulted in the arrest of 72 individuals in Barcelona and Palma (Mallorca).
As the investigation into this latest cocaine shipment continues, the authorities remain vigilant about the growing trend of drug trafficking through the Port of Barcelona, which continues to be a major gateway for narcotics entering Europe.
