Ten British nationals have been arrested in an investigation into an international cartel which trafficked drugs from South America to Europe.

Seven of those arrested were expats living in Malaga, Spain, while another was living in Portugal.

Half of the Britons detained are women, and law enforcement agencies believe a money laundering scam led by businesswomen was used to clean drug money.

The three-year operation began in 2020 and resulted in a Spanish-registered yacht being intercepted 1,200 miles east of Martinique in the Caribbean by a French navy frigate on December 18, 2023. Officials said 1.2 tonnes of cocaine were found on board.

The skipper, a 30-year-old man from Stornoway, Isle of Lewis, was arrested along with two other British nationals.

At the time, the National Crime Agency (NCA) said the estimated street value in the UK of the drugs would have been around £96 million.

Spanish police officer inspects the contents of several holdalls
An officer from the Spanish Policia Nacional inspects a drugs shipment seized as part of the operation (NCA/PA)

An additional 0.3 tonnes of cocaine was seized by law enforcement agencies including Spain’s Policia Nacional, Norway’s National Criminal Investigation Service, the US Drug Enforcement Administration and the European Maritime Analysis and Operations Centre, with the support of Europol.

A total of 52 people have been arrested, with eight boats, 36 vehicles, firearms and ammunition seized.

The NCA said the gang was led by a Norwegian believed to have been trading in drugs for more than two decades.

In 2020, intelligence identified a British crime group based in Spain responsible for trafficking cocaine across the Atlantic. It owned a fleet of vessels used to transport drugs from South America to Europe via Spain.

The long-running investigation identified routes used to bring drugs to Spain for onward distribution, including into the UK.

Sailing routes included to and from the Spanish coastal cities Valencia, Alicante and Malaga, to Brazil, Colombia, Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago, Saint Lucia, Barbados and Panama.

The NCA said the Norwegian leader had the full trust of Colombian and Mexican drug cartels, and co-ordinated the production of the drugs and its transportation through South America until it could be shipped to Spain.

The investigation found drug money was reinvested in new operations and laundered through a global network of businesswomen.

Three women from Boston, Lincolnshire, aged 19, 38, and 28, who were all living in Malaga were arrested.

A 54-year-old woman from Chelmsford, Essex, and a 49-year-old woman from Nottingham were also detained, as were a 63-year-old man from Withernsea, East Riding of Yorkshire, and a 24-year-old British man. All four were living in Malaga.

Also detained was a 37-year-old man from Bracknell, Berkshire, who was living in Portugal, as well as the 30-year-old yacht skipper from Lewis and another Scottish man aged 34.

Neil Keeping, NCA regional manager in Spain, said: “This Spanish-led international operation has dismantled a major drug trafficking crime group and resulted in the arrests of 10 British nationals – eight from England and two from Scotland.

“The NCA’s international network has played a leading role in sharing intelligence with overseas partners to intercept huge shipments of drugs and trace key members of the criminal enterprise.

“A portion of the Class A drugs seized would have undoubtedly been destined for the UK, where its supply at street level fuels violence and exploitation, and brings misery to our communities.

“Tackling global crime groups such as this one requires strong collaboration with international partners, and our efforts alongside them continue to ensure these networks are demolished.”