Eight people arrested as a result of the Guardia Civil's latest drugs operation, Titanum, were ordered to prison by a Palma court on Thursday. The hearing lasted five hours.
The investigation which led to raids in Palma and Sencelles earlier in the week had commenced at the end of September last year. A joint operation with Portuguese police resulted in the arrest of the head of the drugs trafficking gang, José R. S. He was picked up in Portugal and was found with 32 kilos of cocaine that had been hidden in crates of fruit and were for transportation by sea.
He was released on charges and returned to Majorca. The Guardia Civil were observing movements. Large amounts of drugs - cocaine and hash - were being brought onto the island from Madrid and Seville.
The gang was being directed by José R. S. from his home in La Vileta, Palma. One of the gang, the carrier (Francisco Ángel H.L.), was stopped at the port in Palma on 13 July. A search of a Mercedes van revealed three kilos of cocaine that had been hidden.
The gang was said to have been very well structured and coordinated, but the Guardia's organised crime squad and criminal police were able to smash it. During the raids, more than 20 kilos of cocaine, 15 kilos of hash and 450,000 euros cash were seized.
In all, sixteen people have so far been detained.
