STATE security forces have seized 109'021 kilos of drugs in the Balearics since 2005, mostly comprising marijuana, hashish, cocaine and ecstasy, the Central Government delegation in the Islands said yesterday.
Records from the State Prosecutor's office show that since 2005, police raids have amongst other narcotics, resulted in total hauls of 3.8 tonnes of marijuana; 4 tonnes of cocaine, and 50 kilos of heroin. But it has been hashish - 101'000 kilos of it - and ecstasy tablets - an average of 21'000 units in any one haul - that are by far the greatest narcotic markets in terms of volume, the report revealed.
The amounts of cocaine that have been taken into police custody have soared between 2005 and 2008, said the report. Five years ago, 40 kilos were seized whilst police raids in 2008 secured nearly 700 kilos. But 2006 was the year when most cocaine was found - no less than 3.3 tonnes.
Heroin is also being located in increasing quantities: 2.3 kilos in 2005; 5.76 in 2006; 15.13 kilos in 2007 and 26.47 kilos in 2008. A similar pattern can be seen with hashish which has risen from the 4 tonnes seized in 2005 to 36.7 tonnes in 2008. Central Government Delegate, Ramon Socias has repeatedly said that the security forces are continually on the lookout to stop the Balearics from becoming a principal point of entry for the illegal drug trade into Spain.
Two recent major operations against illegal international drug trafficking - particularly cocaine - in the Balearics have been code-named Duke and Duchess. The so-called Operation Kabul resulted in security forces being able to successfully disband the La Paca clan which ran a narcotics crime syndicate in the Palma suburb of Son Banya.
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