--- title: "Spain arrests seven in Gran Canaria… | Social Clubs" description: "Spain's National Police arrested seven in Gran Canaria, including a Las Palmas local police officer, and seized more than 300 kilos of hashish." canonical: https://grancanaria-socialclubs.com/news/culture/spain-arrests-seven-in-gran-canaria-drug-trafficking-case-involving-local-police-officer language: en robots: index, follow og_type: article type: research-article language_alternates: en: https://grancanaria-socialclubs.com/news/culture/spain-arrests-seven-in-gran-canaria-drug-trafficking-case-involving-local-police-officer.md cs: https://grancanaria-socialclubs.com/cs/novinky/kultura/spanelska-policie-zadrzela-na-gran-canarii-sedm-lidi-v-pripadu-pasovani-drog-mezi-nimi-mistniho-policistu.md de: https://grancanaria-socialclubs.com/de/nachrichten/kultur/spanien-nimmt-sieben-personen-in-drogenhandelsfall-auf-gran-canaria-fest-darunter-oertlichen-polizeibeamten.md es: https://grancanaria-socialclubs.com/es/noticias/cultura/espana-detiene-a-siete-personas-en-un-caso-de-narcotrafico-en-gran-canaria-que-incluye-a-un-agente-de-la-policia-local.md fr: https://grancanaria-socialclubs.com/fr/actualites/culture/espagne-arrete-sept-personnes-a-grande-canarie-dans-une-affaire-de-trafic-de-drogue-impliquant-un-policier-municipal.md hu: https://grancanaria-socialclubs.com/hu/hirek/kultura/spanyolorszagban-hetet-vettek-orizetbe-egy-gran-canarian-feltart-helyi-rendort-is-erinto-drogkereskedelmi-ugyben.md it: https://grancanaria-socialclubs.com/it/notizie/cultura/spagna-arresta-sette-persone-a-gran-canaria-in-un-caso-di-traffico-di-droga-che-coinvolge-un-agente-della-polizia-locale.md nl: https://grancanaria-socialclubs.com/nl/nieuws/cultuur/spanje-arresteert-zeven-mensen-in-drugszaak-op-gran-canaria-waarbij-lokale-politieagent-betrokken-is.md pl: https://grancanaria-socialclubs.com/pl/aktualnosci/kultura/hiszpanska-policja-krajowa-zatrzymala-siedem-osob-w-sprawie-handlu-narkotykami-na-gran-canarii.md pt: https://grancanaria-socialclubs.com/pt/noticias/cultura/espanha-detem-sete-pessoas-num-caso-de-trafico-de-droga-em-gran-canaria-que-envolve-agente-da-policia-local.md ru: https://grancanaria-socialclubs.com/ru/новости/культура/ispaniya-zaderzhala-semyerykh-na-gran-kanarii-po-delu-o-narkotorgovle-s-uchastiem-mestnogo-politseyskogo.md tr: https://grancanaria-socialclubs.com/tr/haberler/kultur/ispanya-gran-canaria-uyusturucu-kacakciligi-vakasinda-yedi-kisiyi-gozaltina-aldi.md zh: https://grancanaria-socialclubs.com/zh/资讯/文化/xi-ban-ya-zai-da-jia-na-li-dao-du-pin-fan-yun-an-zhong-dai-bu-7-ren-bao-kuo-yi-ming-di-fang-jing-cha.md ja: https://grancanaria-socialclubs.com/ja/ニュース/文化/supein-guran-kanaria-jimoto-keisatsukan-kanyo-mayaku-mitsuyu-jiken-de-nananin-taiho.md ar: https://grancanaria-socialclubs.com/ar/أخبار/ثقافة/ispania-tawqif-sabaan-fi-gran-kanarya-bi-qadiyat-ittijar-bilmokhaddarat-tashmal-shurtian-mahallian.md ko: https://grancanaria-socialclubs.com/ko/소식/문화/seupein-hyeonji-gyeongchalgwan-i-pohamdoen-geuran-kanaria-mayak-milmae-sageoneuro-7myeong-chepo.md pt-br: https://grancanaria-socialclubs.com/pt-br/noticias/cultura/espanha-prende-sete-em-caso-de-trafico-de-drogas-em-gran-canaria-envolvendo-policial-local.md hi: https://grancanaria-socialclubs.com/hi/समाचार/संस्कृति/spen-mein-gran-canaria-madak-padarth-taskari-mamle-mein-saat-giraftar-sthaniya-policekarmi-bhi-shamil.md generated: 2026-08-01 --- > **Machine-readable Markdown rendering.** This is a Markdown representation of a web page, > served for AI agents and crawlers as a token-efficient alternative to the full HTML. > Full interactive HTML version: https://grancanaria-socialclubs.com/news/culture/spain-arrests-seven-in-gran-canaria-drug-trafficking-case-involving-local-police-officer > Canonical URL: https://grancanaria-socialclubs.com/news/culture/spain-arrests-seven-in-gran-canaria-drug-trafficking-case-involving-local-police-officer > Available languages: en, cs, de, es, fr, hu, it, nl, pl, pt, ru, tr, zh, ja, ar, ko, pt-br, hi [![National Police evidence display from Operation Tijuana beside a rented van in Gran Canaria](/images/uploads/80c12bfa-3c96-4bfc-bb7d-8db6acf8c172/news-hero-spain-arrests-seven-in-gran-canaria-drug-trafficking-case-involving-local-police-1920x1080.jpg)](/images/uploads/80c12bfa-3c96-4bfc-bb7d-8db6acf8c172/news-hero-spain-arrests-seven-in-gran-canaria-drug-trafficking-case-involving-local-police-1920x1080.avif "View image full size") [Culture](/news/culture "Culture") 9 min read # Spain arrests seven in Gran Canaria drug-trafficking case involving local police officer ![Portrait of Rob Harley, Gran Canaria Social Clubs news desk](/images/uploads/5f094d99-3443-4907-8555-2910851fd38a/rob-harley-1920x1920.jpg) By [Rob Harley](/user-profile?u=a65dddce-73db-40b5-8660-fe93612a7384 "View the author's member profile") Published Today in [Culture](/news/culture "Culture") Spain's National Police arrested seven in Gran Canaria, including a Las Palmas local police officer, and seized more than 300 kilos of hashish. ![Portrait of Rob Harley, Gran Canaria Social Clubs news desk](/images/uploads/5f094d99-3443-4907-8555-2910851fd38a/rob-harley-1920x1920.jpg) By [Rob Harley](/user-profile?u=a65dddce-73db-40b5-8660-fe93612a7384 "View the author's member profile") Rob Harley has reported on cannabis law and the non-profit association movement across Europe for the past decade. He focuses on how regulation actually reaches the members who use cannabis social clubs — the paperwork, the limits, and the slow build of public trust. His work for Gran Canaria Social Clubs aims to be accurate, sourced, and free of hype. [More articles by this author](/news/author/rob-harley "See all articles by this author") Published Today in [Culture](/news/culture "Culture") In this article 1. [Seven arrests after a year-long investigation in Gran Canaria](/news/culture/spain-arrests-seven-in-gran-canaria-drug-trafficking-case-involving-local-police-officer#seven-arrests-after-a-year-long-investigation-in-gran-canaria "Seven arrests after a year-long investigation in Gran Canaria") 2. [Operation Tijuana traced an alleged island distribution network](/news/culture/spain-arrests-seven-in-gran-canaria-drug-trafficking-case-involving-local-police-officer#operation-tijuana-traced-an-alleged-island-distribution-network "Operation Tijuana traced an alleged island distribution network") 3. [Six searches produced a broad evidence haul](/news/culture/spain-arrests-seven-in-gran-canaria-drug-trafficking-case-involving-local-police-officer#six-searches-produced-a-broad-evidence-haul "Six searches produced a broad evidence haul") 4. [The police officer's arrest raises a separate accountability question](/news/culture/spain-arrests-seven-in-gran-canaria-drug-trafficking-case-involving-local-police-officer#the-police-officer-s-arrest-raises-a-separate-accountability-question "The police officer's arrest raises a separate accountability question") 5. [The arrests do not establish a link to private cannabis social clubs](/news/culture/spain-arrests-seven-in-gran-canaria-drug-trafficking-case-involving-local-police-officer#the-arrests-do-not-establish-a-link-to-private-cannabis-social-clubs "The arrests do not establish a link to private cannabis social clubs") 6. [The investigation remains open after the arrests](/news/culture/spain-arrests-seven-in-gran-canaria-drug-trafficking-case-involving-local-police-officer#the-investigation-remains-open-after-the-arrests "The investigation remains open after the arrests") Spain's National Police arrested seven people in Gran Canaria on 15 July 2026, including a Las Palmas de Gran Canaria Local Police officer, and seized more than 300 kilograms of hashish in a year-long drug-trafficking investigation, according to [the Europa Press report on Operation Tijuana](https://www.europapress.es/islas-canarias/noticia-detienen-personas-ellos-policia-local-palmas-gran-canaria-trafico-drogas-20260715102422.html "the Europa Press report on Operation Tijuana"). The operation also uncovered cocaine, firearms, cash, vehicles, a boat and mobile devices during searches across three municipalities. ## Seven arrests after a year-long investigation in Gran Canaria The operation, named **Operation Tijuana**, was carried out by the National Police's UDYCO Central and UDYCO Las Palmas units. Police said the investigation ran for one year and was intended to document an alleged criminal organisation with a structured system for moving and distributing drugs through the Canary Islands. The seven detainees include a member of the Las Palmas de Gran Canaria Local Police. The police account does not identify the officer, state the officer's alleged function in the network or describe any specific conduct attributed to that individual. Those details remain separate from the broader allegations made against the group. The reported scale of the operation can be summarised in four figures: Operation Tijuana at a glance 7 People arrested More than 300 kilograms Hashish seized 6 Judicially authorised searches One year Investigation period The operation's physical focus included a rented vehicle used in the alleged distribution activity and several properties and commercial premises searched by investigators: [![National Police evidence display beside a rented van linked to Operation Tijuana](/images/uploads/4620f99d-0681-49ae-b1c0-c4cf47b0a96c/spain-arrests-seven-in-gran-canaria-drug-trafficking-case-involving-local-police-officer-n-1920x1080.jpg)](/images/uploads/4620f99d-0681-49ae-b1c0-c4cf47b0a96c/spain-arrests-seven-in-gran-canaria-drug-trafficking-case-involving-local-police-officer-n-1920x1080.avif "View image full size") Evidence linked by the National Police to Operation Tijuana in Gran Canaria. ## Operation Tijuana traced an alleged island distribution network According to the National Police, the investigation centred on a person known as **Juke**, whom officers had investigated for years because of an alleged ability to introduce and distribute substantial quantities of hashish and cocaine in the Canary Islands. Police said the inquiry documented the group's logistics for transporting and distributing drugs between different islands. The police also reported alleged links between Juke and El Buque, whom the authorities described as one of the major drug traffickers in the Canary Islands and who is currently in prison in connection with Operation Lazos de Sangre. Investigators further reported links with people belonging to the **Balkan Cartel**. These claims are presented by the police as part of the investigation and will remain subject to judicial examination. > The investigation documented alleged transport and distribution logistics between different islands of the archipelago. > > National Police account reported by Europa Press The account supplied by investigators describes four principal elements of the alleged network: - A suspected leadership role attributed by police to the person known as Juke. - A history of police interest in Juke's alleged ability to move hashish and cocaine into and around the Canary Islands. - Reported links with El Buque and with people associated, according to police, with the Balkan Cartel. - A logistical system for transporting and distributing drugs between islands, including the use of a rented van intended to make detection more difficult. The description of an organised network does not itself establish criminal responsibility for each detainee. The National Police investigation and the subsequent judicial process must determine what evidence connects each person to the alleged activity. ## Six searches produced a broad evidence haul The operational phase began after police detected what they described as one of the organisation's distribution operations. Investigators said the people involved were transporting more than 300 kilograms of hashish in a rented van. That intervention was followed by **six judicially authorised searches** in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Ingenio and San Bartolomé de Tirajana. Police said the searches dismantled the infrastructure allegedly used to store and distribute controlled substances. The reported seizures were: Items and locations reported in the Operation Tijuana investigation | Category | Reported detail | Source | |---|---|---| | Searches | Six entries and searches in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Ingenio and San Bartolomé de Tirajana | [Europa Press report on Operation Tijuana](https://www.europapress.es/islas-canarias/noticia-detienen-personas-ellos-policia-local-palmas-gran-canaria-trafico-drogas-20260715102422.html "Europa Press report on Operation Tijuana") | | Controlled substances | More than 300 kilograms of hashish and two kilograms of cocaine | [Europa Press report on Operation Tijuana](https://www.europapress.es/islas-canarias/noticia-detienen-personas-ellos-policia-local-palmas-gran-canaria-trafico-drogas-20260715102422.html "Europa Press report on Operation Tijuana") | | Other evidence | Two short firearms, 55,000 euros in cash, eight vehicles, one semirigid boat, twelve mobile devices and related documents | [Europa Press report on Operation Tijuana](https://www.europapress.es/islas-canarias/noticia-detienen-personas-ellos-policia-local-palmas-gran-canaria-trafico-drogas-20260715102422.html "Europa Press report on Operation Tijuana") | The evidence list extends beyond the alleged drugs themselves. The firearms, cash, transport assets, communications devices and documentation will form part of the material examined as the investigation continues. The police report does not state what specific evidential role is attributed to each item. The geography of the searches shows the operation's reach across the island: [![Gran Canaria map marking the three municipalities searched during Operation Tijuana](/images/uploads/cf249be3-ab75-4256-9b68-8efa3fbe585e/spain-arrests-seven-in-gran-canaria-drug-trafficking-case-involving-local-police-officer-p-1920x1080.jpg)](/images/uploads/cf249be3-ab75-4256-9b68-8efa3fbe585e/spain-arrests-seven-in-gran-canaria-drug-trafficking-case-involving-local-police-officer-p-1920x1080.avif "View image full size") The operation involved searches in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Ingenio and San Bartolomé de Tirajana. ## The police officer's arrest raises a separate accountability question The detention of a **Las Palmas de Gran Canaria Local Police officer** gives the case an institutional dimension, but the available account provides no details about the officer's alleged role. It would be inaccurate to treat the arrest alone as proof of involvement, and the report does not announce a conviction or a final judicial finding. That distinction is particularly important in a case involving a serving public official. The police announcement describes an investigation into an alleged criminal organisation and lists seven arrests; it does not set out the evidence against each person individually. The legal position of every detainee therefore remains to be determined by the competent judicial authority. The procedural position described in the police account is: 1. The National Police completes its investigative proceedings concerning the arrests and the seized material. 2. The seven detainees are placed at the disposal of the competent judicial authority. 3. Investigators analyse the evidence, with further police action not ruled out if new developments emerge. An arrest is not a conviction The National Police describe the organisation and its alleged links, while the judicial authorities must assess the evidence and determine the legal position of each detainee. ## The arrests do not establish a link to private cannabis social clubs For readers following Gran Canaria's cannabis policy, the operation should not be conflated with the island's private social-club framework. The Europa Press account describes an alleged drug-trafficking organisation and does not say that a cannabis social club or association was involved. No connection should be inferred from the fact that hashish was among the seized material. Under Spain's legal and social framework, cannabis social clubs are **private, members-only, non-profit associations**. They are not shops, dispensaries or venues open to the public, and they are not automatically accessible to tourists or to anyone visiting Gran Canaria. Membership is a private legal matter decided by each association. Local policy context Operation Tijuana concerns alleged organised trafficking. It is not presented in the supplied report as a case about the regulation, membership or operation of a private cannabis social club in Gran Canaria. That separation matters for local reporting. A criminal investigation into alleged trafficking cannot be used to describe the status of every cannabis-related association, just as the existence of private associations does not alter the allegations made in this National Police operation. ## The investigation remains open after the arrests The National Police said the investigation remains open under the direction of the competent judicial authority. Officers have not ruled out further action arising from the analysis of the evidence recovered during the searches. For now, the confirmed development is the arrest of seven people and the seizure of the material listed in the operation report. The next formal step is the detainees' appearance before the judicial authority once the police proceedings are complete. Any later decision about charges, custody or other measures would need to come from that process rather than from the arrest announcement itself. Key points - Spain's National Police arrested seven people in Gran Canaria, including a Las Palmas de Gran Canaria Local Police officer. - Operation Tijuana followed a one-year investigation by UDYCO Central and UDYCO Las Palmas into an alleged island-wide trafficking network. - Six searches in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Ingenio and San Bartolomé de Tirajana produced more than 300 kilograms of hashish, two kilograms of cocaine, firearms, cash and transport assets. - The investigation remains open, and the detainees are due to be placed before the competent judicial authority after police proceedings. Operation Tijuana has produced a major set of arrests and seizures in Gran Canaria, but the final legal assessment remains pending. The alleged network, the role of the detained Local Police officer and any further consequences will be determined through the continuing investigation and Spain's judicial process. ## Sources 1. [Reducir daños del basuco exige enfrentar también la violencia (canamo.net)](https://www.canamo.net/noticias/colombia/reducir-danos-del-basuco-exige-enfrentar-tambien-la-violencia "Open source in a new tab: https://www.canamo.net/noticias/colombia/reducir-danos-del-basuco-exige-enfrentar-tambien-la-violencia") 2. [Irlanda busca destrabar el cáñamo industrial tras cultivar solo 11 hectáreas (canamo.net)](https://www.canamo.net/noticias/mundo/irlanda-busca-destrabar-el-canamo-industrial-tras-cultivar-solo-11-hectareas "Open source in a new tab: https://www.canamo.net/noticias/mundo/irlanda-busca-destrabar-el-canamo-industrial-tras-cultivar-solo-11-hectareas") 3. [El mercado del plátano en la Península, aún más hundido: los agricultores ya solo reciben 0,36 euros/kilo (eldiario.es)](https://www.eldiario.es/canariasahora/eldiario-agricola/agricultura/mercado-precios-platano-peninsula-agricultores-canarias_1_13422105.html "Open source in a new tab: https://www.eldiario.es/canariasahora/eldiario-agricola/agricultura/mercado-precios-platano-peninsula-agricultores-canarias_1_13422105.html") 4. ['Canarias: 50 años tras la oscuridad': La Reparación (eldiario.es)](https://www.eldiario.es/canariasahora/sociedad/canarias-50-anos-oscuridad-reparacion_1_13419984.html "Open source in a new tab: https://www.eldiario.es/canariasahora/sociedad/canarias-50-anos-oscuridad-reparacion_1_13419984.html") 5. [Canarias registra un 30% de muertes por ahogamientos en 2026 (abc.es)](https://www.abc.es/espana/canarias/canarias-registra-muertes-ahogamientos-2026-20260801140641-nt.html "Open source in a new tab: https://www.abc.es/espana/canarias/canarias-registra-muertes-ahogamientos-2026-20260801140641-nt.html") 6. [La Universidad de La Laguna detecta acumulación de radón en varios de sus edificios (abc.es)](https://www.abc.es/espana/canarias/universidad-laguna-detecta-acumulacion-radon-edificios-20260731190344-nt.html "Open source in a new tab: https://www.abc.es/espana/canarias/universidad-laguna-detecta-acumulacion-radon-edificios-20260731190344-nt.html") 7. [Cae una red de narcotraficantes en Gran Canaria con siete detenidos, entre ellos un policía local (efe.com)](https://efe.com/canarias/2026-07-15/cae-una-red-de-narcotraficantes-en-gran-canaria-con-siete-detenidos-entre-ellos-un-policia-local/ "Open source in a new tab: https://efe.com/canarias/2026-07-15/cae-una-red-de-narcotraficantes-en-gran-canaria-con-siete-detenidos-entre-ellos-un-policia-local/") 8. [Un inspector de la Policía Local de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria entre los detenidos de una red de narcotraficantes (cadenaser.com)](https://cadenaser.com/canarias/2026/07/15/un-inspector-de-la-policia-local-de-las-palmas-de-gran-canaria-entre-los-detenidos-de-una-red-de-narcotraficantes-ser-las-palmas/ "Open source in a new tab: https://cadenaser.com/canarias/2026/07/15/un-inspector-de-la-policia-local-de-las-palmas-de-gran-canaria-entre-los-detenidos-de-una-red-de-narcotraficantes-ser-las-palmas/") 9. [Detenido un inspector de la Policía Local de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria por tráfico de drogas (canariasred.com)](https://canariasred.com/gran-canaria/las-palmas-de-gran-canaria/detenido-inspector-policia-local-las-palmas-trafico-drogas "Open source in a new tab: https://canariasred.com/gran-canaria/las-palmas-de-gran-canaria/detenido-inspector-policia-local-las-palmas-trafico-drogas") 10. [Police officer arrested over drug trafficking in Gran Canaria (canarianweekly.com)](https://canarianweekly.com/posts/Police-officer-arrested-over-drug-trafficking-in-Gran-Canaria "Open source in a new tab: https://canarianweekly.com/posts/Police-officer-arrested-over-drug-trafficking-in-Gran-Canaria")