Crackdown on illegal online drug sales results in 22 arrests across Spain, including Malaga province

The Guardia Civil have arrested 22 people in Spain suspected of illegal online sale of medicines obtained through false prescriptions. The detainees have been charged with offences against public health, criminal organisation and forgery of documents.

The arrests were carried out within the framework of Operation Grecofar, which was launched after the police discovered that a large quantity of psychotropic drugs had been seized in a parcel delivery company in the town of Benavente, in the province of Zamora.

The police traced the origin of the drugs and checked whether the prescriptions were legal. They were able to determine that the drugs had come from private electronic prescriptions issued by the same medical professional, who was prescribing a medication commonly used for drug consumption. This substance is often transported to North Africa to be later mixed with hashish. The purpose of this mixture is to produce 'karcubi', also known as 'the drug of the poor'.

Once the person who was involved in the production and subsequent sale of the prescriptions was arrested, the investigators located his main collaborator, who was in charge of selling the prescriptions through texting apps.

The 'mules' in charge of the bank accounts that would receive the money were also identified. The police also discovered a Majadahonda (Madrid) resident who was in charge of stockpiling the medicines. During the search, the Guardia Civil seized "a large quantity of medicines, narcotic substances, forged prescriptions and doctors' stamps, as well as computer equipment".

Arrests were also made in Alicante, A Coruña, Ávila, Barcelona, Burgos, the Balearics, Granada, Madrid, Salamanca, Santander, Valencia and Vizcaya. The detainees have been placed at the disposal of the court of Majadahonda.