Spanish Police Dismantle Gang Smuggling Over 3 Tonnes Cannabis to Ireland, Britain

Spanish police, working in coordination with An Garda Síochána and the UK's National Crime Agency, have dismantled a criminal organization involved in smuggling marijuana from Spain to Ireland and Britain hidden inside sacks of animal feed. The operation resulted in 14 arrests—13 in Spain and one in Ireland—and 12 search warrants executed across Madrid, Malaga, and Seville. Authorities seized nearly €100,000 in cash, 630 marijuana plants, a firearm, detonators, high-end vehicles, luxury watches, and electronic devices, while also freezing assets valued at over €2 million. The network, comprising Irish, British, and Spanish nationals, had been trafficking an estimated three tonnes of marijuana since 2019, using international freight companies to ship the drugs concealed within pallets of animal feed. The investigation began in January 2025 and involved armed raids by Spanish police, including dramatic entries into properties. Several shipments, totaling about 300 kilograms of marijuana, were intercepted during the probe, highlighting Spain's role as a major gateway for drug trafficking into Europe.