79 kilos of cocaine seized at Madrid-Barajas Airport

The Civil Guard has intercepted a drug shipment hidden inside a cargo flight arriving from Ecuador.

Generic image of a security seal on an industrial cargo container.
IA

Generic image of a security seal on an industrial cargo container.

Officers from the Guardia Civil have seized 79 kilograms of cocaine at Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport during a fiscal control operation on goods arriving from Ecuador.

The discovery was made thanks to risk analysis protocols carried out by the Armed Institute in collaboration with the Tax Agency. During a routine inspection of a cargo flight, agents detected irregularities in one of the containers, prompting a thorough review of the shipment.
Upon opening the cargo unit, officers found 70 rectangular packages that were not listed on the official manifest. After conducting the relevant tests, it was confirmed that the contents were high-purity cocaine, which had been hidden using the technique known as blind hook.
This criminal method involves introducing illicit substances into containers carrying legal goods from companies that are unaware of the criminal activity. The operation requires a complex logistical infrastructure to retrieve the cargo before it reaches its legitimate destination.
With this intervention, security forces have prevented the distribution of thousands of doses within the Community of Madrid. Authorities are keeping the investigation open to identify those responsible for receiving the shipment in the capital.