The Spanish and Dutch police have arrested five suspects who are said to be part of a criminal organization involved in large-scale cocaine trafficking. Three suspects have been arrested in Spain, two in the Netherlands. The five are linked to the seizure of more than 2,300 kilos of cocaine in Spain. This concerns drug seizures in the port of Bilbao, in 2020, and in Algeciras, in 2021 and 2022.

In November 2022, arrest teams conducted four raids in the provinces of Madrid and Alicante and two in Amsterdam. A total of five suspects were arrested: three in Spain and two in the Netherlands. The arrested men are suspected of large-scale drug trafficking, money laundering, participation in a criminal organization and the import of 2,348 kilos of cocaine into Spain.

Albanian leader
Spanish police also report that North American authorities have previously arrested a prominent Albanian drug trafficker who was living in the United States. This Albanian is accused of heading an extensive drug network that distributed cocaine in more than fifteen countries, including Spain. The investigative services also link him to plans to build an 'underwater drone' to transport large shipments of cocaine between South America and Europe. This investigation in the US coincides with the Spanish investigation into the 1,100 kilos of cocaine intercepted at the port of Bilbao in 2020.

In addition to the Spanish police and the Guardia Civil, the Dutch police and the American DEA are also involved in the “Bandi-Hammer” investigation.