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AUTHORITIES have smashed a drug-trafficking gang that hired ‘mules’ to collect cocaine shipments from Madrid airport.
The criminals paid vulnerable people up €10,000 each and gave them a low-cost plane ticket to access the airport’s luggage area.
The ‘mules’ would then pick up suitcases crammed with drugs off conveyor belts and pass them onto waiting gang members outside the airport.
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The narcotics are then stored in flats located in Madrid and Guadalajara.
The Guardia Civil-Polica National operation resulted 30 arrests, including the gang leader.
They were charged with crimes against public health, electricity fraud, and membership in a criminal organization.
The police started an investigation last year after becoming suspicious that several people who had valid flight tickets were not boarding aircraft but instead going straight to baggage claim.
The ‘mules’- once inside the airport- were then given specific mobile phone instructions as to how and where to collect their allocated suitcase.
Over 790 kilograms of cocaine were seized by officers who seized luggage that contained the drug.
The first arrests took place in September last year when three men, two women and their luggage containing over 150 kilos cocaine were found.
One of them was clutching an inexpensive ticket with the UK on it but collecting from the South American baggage claim.
Four arrests were made in March, with more than 100 kilograms of cocaine found in the cases.
Then, six addresses were raided in Guadalajara with 13 more arrests.
The operation also saw the seizure of nine mobile phones, five cars, and €50,000 in cash plus the dismantling of a marijuana farm.
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