Spanish police have dismantled a new trafficking pipeline bringing cannabis into the country through Barcelona’s main airport. Over the past year, eight people arriving on flights from Bangkok have been arrested at El Prat airport, with officers seizing a total of 180 kilograms of vacuum-packed marijuana buds.
Until recently, most so-called ‘hot flights’ associated with drug smuggling came from South America. But investigators say criminal groups have now turned to Southeast Asia. The operation was uncovered after a passenger arriving from Bangkok via Doha was found carrying 16.6 kilograms of marijuana in August 2024. That discovery prompted police to tighten checks on travellers from Thailand.
In the months that followed, several more hauls were intercepted: 18.8 kilograms in September 2024, 40 kilograms in January 2025, and two separate seizures in February of over 22 kilograms each. In one case, a suspect was underage and handed over to the juvenile prosecutor. Additional finds in May and July, totalling more than 60 kilograms, reinforced suspicions of an organised supply chain.
The investigation has been supported by international agencies, including the British consulate in Barcelona, which provided intelligence on high-risk passengers. Authorities emphasised that traffickers are deliberately changing routes and using diverse profiles to avoid detection. Four of the arrested suspects remain in pre-trial detention, while the police continue to monitor incoming flights for further attempts.
Officials warn that the sophistication of these networks makes enforcement difficult, but insist that heightened vigilance at El Prat will continue. The discovery of this new ‘narco-route’ underlines the evolving tactics of global drug trafficking syndicates.
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