Guardia Civil officers swamped the Palma districts of Portixol, Pere Garau and La Vileta early yesterday. The police were heavily armed and had equipment to break down doors. Officers in effect sealed off Sencelles to make sure that potential suspects were unable to slip out of the town.
This latest operation followed months of investigation and the arrest of three drugs traffickers a few days ago. They provided the final evidence the Guardia Civil needed in order to undertake yesterday's dawn raids.
The three who were arrested have since been ordered to be held on remand and yesterday a further eight suspects were detained and will remain in the custody of the Guardia Civil and await a remand hearing.
The security forces are keeping a close eye on the movements of former residents of the Son Banya shanty town, the heart of Majorca's narcotics industry. Because of evictions and demolitions in Son Banya, the drugs clans have been looking to set up elsewhere.
