Spanish law enforcement dismantled a major drug-trafficking network in Galicia, seizing more than 1,600 kilograms of cocaine during a coordinated operation at Playa de Arnela in Muxía, on the Costa da Morte. The raid in August 2026 led to 26 arrests, including a Guardia Civil non-commissioned officer. Ten people were detained at the beach; others were arrested in the hours that followed. The operation brought together the Servicio de Vigilancia Aduanera and the Policía Nacional. The Guardia Civil also took part. El Correo Gallego and Diario de Bergantiños reported a final total of 26 detainees and a seizure exceeding 1,600 kilograms.
The investigation began in January 2025, when a fishing vessel discovered a semi-submersible adrift near the Costa da Morte. The vessel, believed to have transferred its cargo to smaller boats, sank before it could be towed ashore. The incident prompted a complex investigation that lasted about a year and a half. The Guardia Civil and Policía Nacional took part, as did the Servicio de Vigilancia Aduanera. Investigators suspected the semi-submersible had carried as much as three tonnes of cocaine to the Galician coast. Such a load would require an organized network with access to fast boats known as Embarcaciones de Alta Velocidad (EAV).
Surveillance focused on suspects who allegedly used encrypted communications and phones registered to third parties. They also employed counter-surveillance measures. Investigators uncovered the alleged involvement of a Guardia Civil member stationed in A Coruña, accused of leaking sensitive information to help drug landings in exchange for payment.
On Sunday night, authorities detected unusual activity among the suspects and tracked a narcolancha with four outboard motors approaching the coast. A joint force moved to Playa de Arnela, where officers found suspects unloading bales of cocaine. Ten people were arrested at the scene, while the boat, reportedly still carrying at least half its cargo, escaped. The remaining suspects, including the Guardia Civil officer, were detained in several Galician towns in the following hours. Searches also yielded two unlicensed handguns.
Judge Francisco de Jorge of the Audiencia Nacional and the Special Anti-Drug Prosecutor’s Office oversaw the operation. Specialized units from the Guardia Civil’s Central Operative Unit (UCO) and Internal Affairs Service (SAI) took part. The Policía Nacional’s Drugs and Organized Crime Unit (Udyco) joined them, along with customs surveillance officers. Playa de Arnela is near the site where a semi-submersible had previously been found. The joint operation combined customs enforcement with criminal investigation. Territorial and maritime policing also took part. Later reports described the arrival of the customs vessel Torgo I in Cee as a further boost to counter-narcotics capacity along the Costa da Morte.
Reports differ slightly on the seized quantity: El Correo Gallego and Diario de Bergantiños put it at more than 1,600 kilograms, while Diario de Pontevedra described the seizure as approximately 1,500 kilograms. The operation’s reported final arrest total is 26. The case highlights the challenge of maritime drug trafficking along Spain’s northwestern coast, where isolated beaches and rugged terrain can provide cover for smuggling. Similar security concerns have emerged in the region. In Castellón, wartime munitions were discovered and required a multi-day bomb disposal effort (see details here).
Spain remains a basic entry point for South American cocaine into Europe. Traffickers target Galicia’s coastline in part because of its geography and maritime tradition. Authorities use intelligence and surveillance to disrupt trafficking networks, with rapid-response operations also part of their efforts. The alleged involvement of a law-enforcement officer adds an internal-corruption dimension to the case. It also underscores the broader effort to keep sensitive information from reaching criminal networks.
