Seven released after Bizkaia raids seize 3 kg of hashish
The Ertzaintza arrested seven people, six men and one woman aged 36 to 56, in raids across Bizkaia and seized about 3 kg of hashish, 2.5 kg of cocaine and €225,000 in cash, the Basque security department said. All seven were later released, a decision El Correo reported caused discontent in the Ertzaintza, which had wanted at least the alleged ringleader remanded.
🇪🇸 Bizkaia, Basque Country · Spain
- Arrested
- 7
- Cannabis
- 3 kg
The Ertzaintza, the Basque autonomous police, arrested seven people in an
operation in several Bizkaia municipalities.[1] Six were men and one was a
woman, aged 36 to 56, suspected of drug trafficking.[1] Investigators are also
examining possible money laundering.[1] El Correo reported that the group
included the man considered the organisation’s ringleader, known in
drug-trafficking circles.[2] Several of the detainees had police records.[1]
The searches turned up about 3 kg of hashish pollen and 2.5 kg of cocaine, more
than 400 one-gram doses of which were ready for sale, the Basque security
department said.[1] They found 200 g of crystal, Nexus pills and pink powder,
along with scales, packaging machines and wrappings.[1] The Ertzaintza said
the network bought, prepared, distributed and sold drugs, mainly cocaine.[1]
The investigation, run by its Bizkaia criminal investigation service, began in
May.[1]
All seven were brought before a court after the police interviews.[1] They
were later released, El Correo reported on 1 November.[3] The release caused
discontent in the Ertzaintza, which had expected at least the alleged ringleader
to be remanded in custody.[3]
Sources
- Siete detenidos en Bizkaia en una operación antidroga con 2,5 kilos de cocaína y 225.000 euros incautados. Cadena SER, 23 October 2026. In Spanish.
- Siete detenidos en una importante operación antidroga en Bizkaia. El Correo, 22 October 2026. In Spanish.
- Quedan en libertad los siete detenidos con dos kilos de cocaína y tres de hachís. El Correo, 1 November 2026. In Spanish.
Open questions the AI reported
- El Correo's report on the release is paywalled; the facts used from it are its headline and standfirst.
- No date is given for the release; 1 November 2026 is the publication date of the El Correo report.
- The reports do not give the exact date of the arrests.
- El Correo's 22 October article gave two kilos of cocaine and two kilos of hashish in its text, while its standfirst and the Ertzaintza account carried by Cadena SER gave 2.5 kg of cocaine and 3 kg of hashish; this report uses the police figures.
- No charges, court dates or trial outcome were reported.
- No value was put on the seized drugs; the €225,000 is cash found in the searches, not a valuation.
- Left out, as its quotation was not found in Cadena SER: Officers also took about €225,000 in cash, luxury watches and jewellery.
