Wanted notorious drug dealer known as “El Matador” arrested following Spanish police operation

Wanted notorious drug dealer known as "El Matador" arrested following Spanish police operation

Wanted notorious drug dealer known as "El Matador" arrested following Spanish police operation. Image: l.glz.ttlphotos/Shutterstock.com

A NOTORIOUS drug dealer known as “El Matador”, who has been on Spain’s wanted list for over 10 years, has finally been arrested as part of a huge operation, as reported on Wednesday, December 7.

Nineteen people have been arrested, including the notorious drug trafficker known as “El Matador”, who had been a target of the Spanish and Colombian authorities for more than ten years, as part of a coordinated operation involving Spain’s National Police, the DIRAN of the Colombian National Police and the US agency HSI – Homeland Security Investigations.

The operation managed to dismantle a dangerous and globally active criminal organisation, and as well as the arrest, seized 2,600 kilograms of cocaine and an arsenal of weapons.

A report from Spain’s National Police stated that cocaine was intercepted in international waters in the Caribbean when it was being transported by boat for distribution in Spain, while the rest was hidden in an industrial warehouse in Siero (Asturias).

The arsenal of weapons consisted of seven assault rifles, a hand grenade, plastic explosive, a rocket launcher, a detonator, ten silencers, three small arms, eleven magazines, two electric immobilisers, three bulletproof vests and more than 1,000 metallic cartridges.

In January 2021, officers became aware of the existence of a criminal organisation which, made up of members from different South American countries and operating mainly from Colombia, was trying to introduce a significant quantity of cocaine into Spain.

After identifying several members of the criminal gang, officers were able to establish that they had travelled to Madrid to meet with a well-known Galician drug trafficker, who was responsible for the distribution of the drugs in our country.

Following this meeting, the suspects planned to ship two tonnes of cocaine by the end of July 2022, according to Spain’s National Police.

During July’s operation, a boat carrying 2,000 kilograms of narcotics was intercepted in international waters near the Caribbean and five people were arrested.

However, a month later, the drug trafficking group prepared a second shipment of cocaine to Spain, which led officers to a new meeting in Spain between the drug suppliers and the Galician drug trafficker.

During a surveillance operation, officers were led to an industrial warehouse in Siero (Asturias) where they found another 600 kilograms of cocaine.

The Galician drug trafficker was arrested and another two were detained, charged with bringing the cocaine into Spain.


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Written by

Matthew Roscoe

Originally from the UK, Matthew is based on the Costa Blanca and is a web reporter for The Euro Weekly News covering international and Spanish national news. Got a news story you want to share? Then get in touch at editorial@euroweeklynews.com.

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