Barcelona and its metro area are seeing most of Catalonia’s rise in drug-linked shootings, with police linking the violence to marijuana trafficking and disputes between criminal groups. In Badalona, a 10-year-old girl was hit by a ricochet bullet on Sunday evening during a dispute over drug flats in Sant Roc.
Commissioner Ramon Chacon, head of the Mossos d'Esquadra's Criminal Investigation Division, said firearm use has become more common in Catalonia. He told Catalunya Ràdio that many shootings are intimidatory acts meant to mark territory, often involving shots fired into the air or at building facades.
The Mossos recorded 93 shootings in 2025, up nearly 35% from 69 in 2024. By early June 2026, police had already logged about 30 shootings, which is more than one a week. Officers say some incidents are never reported because they happen between criminal factions.
Other shootings over the same weekend included a man injured in the arm in L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, who was taken to Bellvitge Hospital. Police also linked a shooting during a raid on a marijuana plantation in Tordera to one injury and two arrests, while suspects were later detained in a car on the C-66 in Celrà, Girona.
Police say the growth in marijuana cultivation and distribution has pushed criminal groups to arm themselves, either to defend against rivals or to steal drugs. In 2025, seven people died and 29 were injured by firearms in Catalonia. So far in 2026, there have been four firearm deaths, all linked to drug trafficking.
The Mossos have stepped up checks on firearms and bladed weapons, and they say they are seeing more pistols in circulation. Commissioner Chacon also said Catalonia does not face large-scale firearms trafficking, but rather a steady trickle. Police operations continue to target organised groups that supply the black market, while officers inspect bullet casings to see whether the same weapon has been used in other crimes.
Authorities are also worried about weapons entering criminal networks from the Ukraine conflict. Weeks ago, police stopped a French-registered Porsche Cayenne on the AP-7 near Figueres and found 12 submachine guns, possibly AK-47 models, in poor condition. The driver fled in another vehicle. Community and local readers can follow more coverage of crime and public safety in Barcelona, and related local reporting is available on our Sport page for broader city coverage.
Originally published by El Periódico Barcelona. Read original article.
