Major British drug-trafficking gang based in Malaga province dismantled

According to police sources, the network operated out of a residential property in Estepona, using it as a central hub to receive bulk shipments of cocaine.

The gang then utilised high-powered cars and large-capacity vans to transport the narcotics to various Spanish ports, with the ultimate goal of shipping the drugs to the United Kingdom.

The police operation commenced when officers intercepted a van carrying 17 sports bags filled with 423 kilograms of cocaine in Talavera La Real (Badajoz). Although the driver fled the scene, investigators traced the vehicle's route back to its origin in Estepona, prompting heightened surveillance around key locations on the Costa del Sol.

Days later, officers tracking a suspect vehicle in an industrial estate in Baza (Granada) intercepted a second van containing 326 kilograms of cocaine hidden inside several suitcases.

The driver, a British national, was arrested at the scene.

Following the Granada arrest, the Guardia Civil executed a search warrant on the primary property in Estepona. Officers discovered a further 265 kilograms of cocaine, professional packaging and sealing equipment, a rifle, a submachine gun, a semi-automatic pistol, a large quantity of ammunition, and cash.

An Estepona court remanded the detained British national in custody without bail. Police confirmed that five remaining members of the criminal network managed to flee Spain, triggering five international arrest warrants to secure their extradition.

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