What is pink cocaine? Police in Spain find biggest haul of deadly party drugs including ecstasy and cocaine in Ibiza and Malaga worth £21m

One million ecstasy pills have been seized in the Balearic Islands - the largest seizure of this drug in the history of Spain.

The Guardia Civil in Ibiza has confirmed the seizure of one million ecstasy pills seized in ‘Operation Adriatic’. It is the largest seizure of this drug in the history of Spain, according to the head colonel of the Guardia Civil in the Balearics, Alejandro Hernández.

Hernández said that the exploitation phase was carried out on 5 September with ten searches, eight in different areas of Ibiza and two in Benalmádena resulting in nine arrests, “five of Italian nationality, one Dutch and three Spanish”. In addition to the million ecstasy pills, 212 kilos of ketamine, 73 kilos of MDMA, 20 kilos of cocaine, 21 kilos of pink cocaine (tusi), 10 kilos of hashish and 6 kilos of marijuana, as well as 3 kilos of ‘sugar’, a substance for making pink cocaine, have also been seized. Altogether a total of 700 kilos of drugs were seized in the Operation.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

According to the Majorca Daily Bulletin, The Guardia Civil estimates that the value of the seized drugs could exceed 25 million euros. Pink cocaine has already killed a 14-year-old boy and has lead to strokes and even heart failure in young people partying. It is made by combining the leftovers from a dealer's other narcotics with a pink dye.

Pink cocaine has already killed a 14-year-old boy and has lead to strokes and even heart failure in young people partying. (Photo: AFP via Getty Images)placeholder image
Pink cocaine has already killed a 14-year-old boy and has lead to strokes and even heart failure in young people partying. (Photo: AFP via Getty Images) | AFP via Getty Images

Hernández also specified that those arrested belonged to an international criminal network led by Italian nationals based in Ibiza, who were helped by Spanish and Dutch nationals. The colonel added that the three Spaniards arrested are also from the island and that the one arrested in Malaga is an Italian woman.

The investigation began between the end of April and the beginning of May when the agents detected, as a result of the latest operations carried out, the existence of an organisation that was smuggling drugs into Ibiza, using mules who drove vehicles with double bottoms from the Netherlands. In the course of the investigation, the agents were able to ascertain that part of the organisation had moved to Malaga to settle in that area and extend the business in this province.

After identifying the main members of the network, the searches and arrests were made. Operation Adriatic is still open and new arrests are not ruled out.

Related topics:

Comment Guidelines

National World encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.

Telling news your way
Follow us
©National World Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved.Cookie SettingsTerms and ConditionsPrivacy notice