Four Irish nationals have been arrested on the Costa Blanca following a police operation that smashed a drug smuggling gang. The operation led to the seizure of nearly eighty five kilos of cocaine, which was hidden inside a drilling machine set to be shipped to Ireland. Police also found cannabis resin linked to the gang at French customs. Two guns were reportedly confiscated during the operation, sparking further concerns about ongoing criminal activity in the region.

The arrests took place in Orihuela Costa and San Miguel de Salinas, with the suspects subsequently released on bail as investigations continue. The investigation began on June second when a transportation firm in the province of Murcia reported a driver’s arrest in France after cannabis was discovered in his Liverpool-bound lorry. This led authorities to track the firm’s vehicles, culminating in the drugs’ discovery concealed within the drilling machine sent to Dublin.

Spanish investigators strategically allowed the delivery to proceed to identify potential recipients in Ireland. While the Civil Guard, which led the operation, has yet to release official comments, they have not ruled out further arrests, as inquiries continue into the drug trafficking network.

This is not the first instance of large-scale drug trafficking linked to Irish gangs; a similar investigation in March resulted in the seizure of drugs valued at around thirty million euros and the arrest of twenty individuals. The scale of these operations raises serious concerns about organised crime networks operating across borders, particularly involving narcotics trade between Spain, Ireland, and beyond.