Unprecedented Operation Against Cocaine Trafficking in Huelva
The National Police have made a historic breakthrough in Huelva, marking the largest cocaine seizure ever recorded in the province with the confiscation of nearly 5,000 kilograms of the substance. This significant operation took place on Saturday, March 14, at a rural estate located in Las Calvillas, situated between Gibraleón and San Bartolomé de la Torre. Law enforcement executed simultaneous raids at this location and a second site in the province of Seville, resulting in the arrest of eight individuals who have since been placed in provisional custody following a judicial order.
According to reports from SER, the estate operated as a storage facility for the drug trafficking organization, serving as a temporary holding area where the cocaine would remain for only one or two days before being transported to its final destination. The cocaine had recently entered Spain through the same routes that are typically exploited for hashish trafficking, utilizing narco-boats coming from Morocco. The criminal network’s strategy involved allowing the drug to “cool down” for a few days prior to its final transport.
The police operation, which had been monitoring the group's activities for some time, seized the opportunity during this waiting period to intervene. The action was initiated upon the detection of a van leaving the estate, which was found to contain 1,300 kilograms of cocaine. Upon entering the premises, officers encountered five armed foreign nationals equipped with rifles and discovered the remainder of the haul, an additional 3,700 kilograms. Two other detainees were local residents from Huelva province. All suspects attempted to flee but were apprehended without success. In total, eight individuals were arrested during the raids conducted in both Huelva and Seville. The authorities also seized one million euros in cash, assault rifles, and equipment used for weighing drugs. Additionally, other smaller quantities of narcotics were found, though specifics on these substances have yet to be disclosed.
This operation was spearheaded by the Central Brigade of the National Police in Madrid, with the involvement of units from Western Andalusia and collaboration from European law enforcement authorities.
Prior to this event, the largest cocaine seizure in Huelva dated back to 2021, when the National Police confiscated approximately 1,600 kilograms from a garage in the capital. More recently, on December 27, 2025, the Civil Guard in the province of Seville intercepted the largest shipment introduced via narco-boats in southern Spain, seizing seven tons concealed within underground containers on a property in Coria del Río, where three individuals were also arrested.
As reported by cadenaser.com.
