Video: Dutch, Spanish police intercept 947 kg of MDMA; Largest seizure in Europe
In a joint operation, the Dutch and Spanish police have seized a massive 947 kilograms of MDMA. It is the largest seizure yet of this synthetic drug in Europe, the Spanish police said in a statement published on Tuesday. The police arrested 15 suspects, 12 in Spain and three in the Netherlands. Twelve of the suspects remain in custody.
The Spanish police launched this investigation in 2025 when they detected the activity of a criminal organization made up of Dutch citizens based on the Costa del Sol. According to the police, this organization trafficked MDMA from Spain and the Netherlands to several countries in Latin America, via Ghana in Africa.
Once in Latin America, the MDMA would be used as payment for cocaine, which would in turn be trafficked into Europe via Spain. According to the Spanish police, the criminal organization funded its activities by sending cannabis to different European countries in vehicles with hidden compartments.
In October last year, several of the main suspects in this case moved to the Netherlands. The Spanish police contacted their Dutch counterparts and launched a joint operation.
During the investigation, the police discovered that the suspects were planning to ship a large quantity of synthetic drugs to Ghana from the port of Antwerp in Belgium, hidden inside an industrial crane. The police decided to prevent this shipment and raided 11 addresses in Spain and one in the Netherlands on January 28, 2026.
During the raids, the police seized 859 kilograms of MDMA, 88 kilograms of ecstasy pills, 644 marijuana plants, over 5 kilograms of buds, 1.3 kilograms of hashish, 34 packages of cannabis derivatives, more than €46,000 in cash, 3 firearms, 3 high-end vehicles, and 5 watches from prestigious brands. They also dismantled three indoor cannabis farms.
The operation culminated in the arrest of the 15 suspects, 12 of whom are still in custody, the Spanish police said on Tuesday. They are suspected of crimes against public health, membership in a criminal organization, electricity fraud, money laundering, and illegal possession of weapons.
The investigation is ongoing, and more arrests may follow.
