Mallorca's place on the international drugs trafficking map was established in the 1960s. Along with Ibiza, Mallorca was on the route from North Africa to mainland Europe. In this regard, the island has long been strategic for drugs criminals. In recent years, this strategic importance has been reinforced, aided by boat technology.
In March 2020, the appearance of a 7.5-metre-long boat equipped with the latest technology adrift off Playa de Palma alerted investigators. In 2022, two drugs gangs were found to have had a mechanic in charge of looking after so-called narco-boats. A shipment of hashish was intercepted in Ibiza, which was becoming a location for drugs storage. In the space of two years, it was concluded, the criminals had significantly improved their boats and strengthened their contacts to evade police action.
In April 2023, three men on a speedboat were pursued by the Guardia Civil as they approached Cala d'Or. There was a dramatic chase. The cargo of drugs was thrown overboard. At the end of 2023, an operation by the Guardia Civil and Customs Surveillance resulted in the seizure of 8.3 tonnes of hashish loaded onto three vans. The stash was on the coast. From there, it was to be distributed to various locations. There were hidden spots along the coast - the 'stash zones' - difficult to access and difficult for the police to identify.
There was cocaine as well as hash, the latest report from Spain's National Security Department stating that the main entry point for drugs is by sea and that the use of high-speed vessels to collect large quantities of cocaine on the high seas is "noteworthy".
Drugs are loaded onto container ships and transferred to these boats well out to sea. The gangs have better resources, including weapons. In Spain, four Guardia Civil officers have died in operations against these narco-boats.
The report adds that there are logistics networks for the manufacture, supply, and repair of these boats. While drop-off zones have expanded westward as far as Portugal, the east remains very important. And this includes Mallorca.