National Police in Son Gotleu, Palma. | A. Sepúlveda

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African mafias have allegedly pushed the gypsy clans out of the drugs trade in the Son Gotleu district of Palma and the Drug Squad is bracing for the arrival and distribution of large consignments of cocaine, heroin and marijuana.

Police say the Africans are now in complete control of the streets and squares, most of the bars, hairdressers, supermarkets and phone booths in the neighbourhood and are allegedly actively selling marijuana, cocaine and heroin.

The gypsy clans were all powerful a decade ago, but have no control now and are limited to selling drugs from homes, or outlets, so that they don’t come into conflict with the Africans.

Officers say the African’s are so powerful that when the Nigerians and Senegalese 'place' their drug dealers on the door of buildings where clan outlets are located, the gypsies have no choice but to give way.

Clans such as ‘Los Peluos’ and ‘La Burra’ have seen their power significantly reduced in the neighbourhood and now reportedly focus their criminal activity in Carrer d’Indalencio Prieto, Plaça Fra Joan Alzina and on some crossings in Carrer de Tomàs Rul·làn and Carrer Santa Florentina.

The Police say that when the Nigerian and Senegalese mafias defeated the ‘Los Peluos’ clan in 2014, the gypsies turned to real estate, allegedly broke into houses owned by the banks and doctored the electricity and water supplies so that they could rent the properties. Some bank staff were investigated on suspicion of allegedly giving the gypsies the listings of homes that were empty.

When the National Police started investigating the gypsies changed tack and instead of renting the properties they allegedly turned them into marijuana plantations and the Drug Squad is constantly hunting them down.

20 percent of Mallorca's drug trade is controlled by Senegalese gangs and the other 80 percent is controlled by Nigerian gangs.