The Civil Guard has arrested 21 people in an operation against cocaine trafficking between Catalonia and the Balearic Islands. A total of 303 kilos of cocaine, 20 kilos of hashish, and €400,000 in cash have been seized.
The Civil Guard, through the Organised Crime and Drug Squad (EDOA) of the Balearic Command, in collaboration with the EDOA of Barcelona and Customs Surveillance, has dismantled a criminal organisation that was introducing cocaine from Catalonia into Mallorca. The operation, named 'JOKER', has resulted in 21 arrests and the seizure of 303 kilograms of cocaine, 20 kilograms of hashish, and nearly €400,000 in cash.
The investigation began on January 21, 2026, when agents intercepted a vehicle at the Port of Palma driven by a man in his 70s who was transporting 44 kilos of cocaine hidden in a double bottom. Following this discovery, investigators were able to identify those responsible for the network and unravel their modus operandi.
The organisation was structured into two perfectly coordinated branches. In Catalonia, they were responsible for acquiring the drugs, hiding them in vehicles modified with secret compartments, and transporting them by sea to Mallorca. Once on the island, another team would collect the merchandise and distribute it among various points of sale. To avoid detection, they employed sophisticated security measures and counter-surveillance during their movements.
Throughout the six months of investigation, agents carried out several interventions that prevented the distribution of significant drug shipments. Notably, 225 kilograms of cocaine were seized in Badalona and nearly 66 kilograms at the Port of Palma. These amounts are in addition to the seizures at residences, bringing the total to 303 kilos of cocaine and 20 of hashish.
In addition to the drugs, €400,000 in cash, allegedly from criminal activity, was seized. During the final phase of the operation, which was carried out simultaneously in Catalonia and the Balearic Islands, searches were conducted in homes in Palma and Alcudia. In these searches, 22 high-end vehicles, three firearms, electric shock devices, hyper-realistic silicone masks, police tape, balaclavas, and various documents were found.
Investigators believe that part of this material was intended for committing what are known as 'vuelcos', that is, drug and money thefts from other organisations involved in drug trafficking. The judicial authority has ordered provisional detention for 19 of the 21 arrested. The investigation remains open, and further actions related to the dismantled network are not ruled out.
For the residents of Mallorca, this operation represents a severe blow to cocaine trafficking on the island, cutting off one of the main entry routes for drugs from the Peninsula. Collaboration between different police units has been key to dismantling an organisation that operated with total impunity.
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