The Civil Guard has dismantled an organization that distributed cocaine on a large scale and sourced it from the Community of Madrid. The Showtime operation leaves 20 arrests, 23 searches and 52 kilos seized.
The Civil Guard has dismantled a criminal organization dedicated to the supply and distribution of cocaine on a large scale with links in Catalonia, Madrid and Alicante. The Showtime operation resulted in 20 arrests and 23 simultaneous searches, according to the media outlet elcatalan.es.
The operation was carried out on 30 September in the provinces of Barcelona, Lleida, Madrid and Alicante. Agents seized nearly 52 kilos of cocaine, smaller amounts of methamphetamine and MDMA, and over 400,000 euros in cash.
The investigation began in late May 2025, when investigators detected the presence of the group, primarily based in the province of Barcelona. The network operated with a strict division of tasks: drug acquisition, transport, storage in secure properties, and delivery to buyers.
At the head of the structure was a presumed leader who set prices, dictated pick-up points, and controlled the financial performance of each operation. This leader conditioned the delivery of new shipments on the prior payment of accumulated debts, allowing him to maintain control over the entire distribution network.
The supply typically came from the Community of Madrid, via trips in vehicles with hidden compartments. Once in Catalonia, the drugs were divided and distributed to various sales points and regional networks.
The organization used up to six properties as storage or "nurseries" to safeguard and prepare the material. Five of these storage locations were in the province of Barcelona, with residences in the capital and in Sant Boi de Llobregat, and the sixth was a storage unit in Lleida.
During the searches, precision scales, presses, and large quantities of boric acid for adulterating and packaging the substance were found. Firearms were also seized, including a pistol with the serial number removed and a silencer located in one of the main storage centres.
The operation also struck at the financial structure of the network with the investigation of money laundering crimes. 57 bank accounts and four properties valued at approximately 1.1 million euros were blocked, along with vehicles and assets registered under front men.
After the judicial presentation of seventeen of the arrested individuals, the competent authority ordered provisional detention for thirteen of them, including the presumed leader. The others were subjected to precautionary measures such as passport withdrawal and prohibition from leaving the national territory.
The proceedings and the seized effects have been handed over to the Instruction Section of the Court of First Instance in L'Hospitalet de Llobregat. The investigation was supported by Europol, which deployed a mobile technical support office, and the US drug agency DEA.
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