Cocaine found aboard fishing vessel: ten people arrested in Santa Pola

The Guardia Civil seized 1,184 kilograms of cocaine concealed in ten large containers. The investigation lasted several months and resulted in ten arrests. One additional person is under investigation.

Spain's Guardia Civil seized 1,184 kilograms of cocaine aboard a fishing vessel that had docked at the port of Santa Pola, in Alicante province. The drugs were divided into 40 bales of burlap and hidden inside ten large containers partially covered with fishing nets.

The operation resulted in ten arrests and one additional person being placed under investigation. By judicial order, four of those arrested have been remanded in provisional custody.

An investigation was launched at the beginning of the year

According to the Guardia Civil, the investigation began in early 2026 after officers received information about the possible use of fishing vessels to bring drugs ashore along the Alicante coast.

On the morning of 18 September, officers detected suspicious activity involving a vessel off the province's coastline. They identified a fishing boat heading towards Santa Pola and set up a surveillance operation to monitor its movements and the activities of its crew.

Investigators also identified a man who allegedly watched the area around the pontoons in order to warn others of a possible police presence.

Once the vessel had docked, officers from the Guardia Civil's Maritime Service and USECIC unit carried out an inspection. They found ten containers holding the drugs. The total weight of the seized cocaine was 1,184 kilograms.

Two stages of the operation

During the first stage, three people were arrested. Officers also searched an apartment in Elche and a villa in Santa Pola. A second vessel, a car and a motorcycle were seized during these actions.

Subsequent investigative work identified an alleged division of roles among the group: some members were believed to be responsible for collecting and transporting the drugs by sea, while others provided support on land.

On 27 October, the Guardia Civil carried out the second stage of the operation. Seven more people were arrested, and one additional person was placed under investigation.

The overall result was therefore ten arrests and one person under investigation. Four of those arrested have been remanded in provisional custody by judicial order.

The operation was carried out by EDOA, the Organised Crime and Anti-Drug Team of the Judicial Police Unit at the Alicante Guardia Civil Command. The Maritime Service and USECIC also took part. The operation was coordinated with support from the Alicante Command's Operations Centre and directed by the Investigative Section of the Elche Court of Instance.

Anti-drug operations in Alicante province in 2026

The Santa Pola case is one of several major anti-drug investigations reported in Alicante province during 2026. Other cases include the dismantling of indoor cannabis plantations in Crevillente, Alcoi, Cocentaina and l'Alqueria d'Asnar; operations against drug distribution in Alicante, San Vicente del Raspeig and Monóvar; and the investigation of a network transporting cocaine to the United Kingdom through Elche and Finestrat.

Our review of publicly available reports for 2026 identified at least seven separate operations in which at least 29 arrests were reported. This is a count of published cases, not a complete official statistic for the province. It does not include investigations that have not been made public by law enforcement authorities.

Separately, in September the National Police announced an international operation targeting an organisation involved in transporting cocaine to other European countries. Fifteen people were arrested in that investigation, including three in Pilar de la Horadada. The total amount of cocaine seized across the operation exceeded 2,700 kilograms. However, this figure covers all the territories involved and must not be attributed solely to Alicante province.

The judicial proceedings are ongoing. All arrested persons and those under investigation retain the presumption of innocence until a final court judgment is issued.