The Ertzaintza, Civil Guard, and National Police have dismantled a drug trafficking network in Getxo, arresting 10 individuals. In this joint operation, 35 kilos of hashish, four kilos of cocaine, nearly five kilos of marijuana, one kilo of 'crystal' (methamphetamine), and a pistol were seized.
The drug unit of the Ertzaintza in Getxo began investigating last January a property in the Algorta neighborhood, suspected of becoming the town's drug 'supermarket'. Dealers and significant traffickers would visit to obtain substances for smaller-scale distribution. This Algorta residence directed an intricate network of satellite apartments spread across Getxo. The ringleader, a 31-year-old local man, also had connections in Bilbao and San Sebastián. These 'warehouses' stored the narcotics in exchange for money.
As the local investigation progressed, in the last month, Ertzaintza surveillance coincided with similar operations by the Civil Guard and National Police targeting the same individuals. The teams from the three forces decided to coordinate their efforts for the operation. The exploitation phase began on Friday afternoon.
Officers monitoring the organization's main residence observed a suspect leaving. They believed he had acquired a significant quantity of drugs due to a bulky package he was concealing. Agents intercepted him as he got into his vehicle and confirmed he was transporting 1.2 kilos of cocaine. The man, 35 years old and Spanish, was arrested.
Subsequently, personnel from the Ertzaintza, National Police, and Civil Guard entered and searched the apartment. They deployed the intervention group Berrozi Berezi Taldea (BBT) and the Canine Unit, both from the regional police. On that day, the drug trafficking ringleader and one of his accomplices, aged 32, were arrested. The following day, Saturday, the operation extended to searches in other properties used by the organization to store illegal substances.
In total, three simultaneous operations were conducted in Getxo, with the Ertzaintza supported by the Local Police, along with another in Bilbao and one in San Sebastián. On Saturday, seven more individuals were arrested – five men and two women, aged between 20 and 36, four Spanish and three South American. Combined with the three arrests from Friday, including the mastermind, the total number of arrests reached ten.
During the six searches, police seized large quantities of drugs, including 35 kilos of hashish; 3.9 kilos of cocaine; one kilo of methamphetamine, known as crystal; 4.7 kg of marijuana; and 120 ecstasy pills. They also found one kilo of cutting agent, 15,081 euros, a handgun, another imitation firearm, and a machete. Among other potential evidence, they discovered quantities of clenbuterol and oxandrolone, substances used by bodybuilders to gain muscle mass.
The first three detainees were brought before the duty court in Getxo on Saturday, which ordered two of them to be remanded in custody. The other seven detainees appeared before the judge on Monday, and two were sent to prison preventively until the trial.
Separately, the hum of machinery from a rented industrial unit in Loiu, which appeared inactive but was frequently visited by two individuals, alerted the Ertzaintza. Thanks to anonymous citizen tips, an 'indoor' marijuana plantation has been dismantled in an industrial park. The search of the unit uncovered 650 marijuana plants and a complete cultivation setup. On Monday, two Spanish men, aged 44 and 39, allegedly responsible for tending the crop, were arrested for drug trafficking and electricity fraud.
