12 Brits arrested in Spain for smuggling cocaine in speedboats to sell to Magaluf clubbers

12 Britons are standing trial in a Spanish court today (2 September) on suspicion of smuggling vast quantities of illegal drugs into the country and selling it to partying holiday-goers in Magaluf.

Spanish police confirmed that over a dozen people had been arrested on Thursday morning (31 August) following a spree of dawn raids in Magaluf and Parma. The raid resulted in the seizure of almost 4kg of "high-purity" cocaine, other drugs such as ecstasy, and around £110,000 in cash.

The drug bust was orchestrated by Civil Guards with assistance from Britain's National Crime Agency in an operation called 'Operation Tatum'.

According to a report in MZ, most of the heavily-armed officers involved in the raids focused on Magaluf's popular party strip in Punta Ballena.

Some of those standing trial, all of whom remain unnamed but are thought to be mostly from Manchester and Liverpool, worked as representatives for bars and clubs along the Punta Ballena strip.

Local sources have also claimed the gang was smuggling in drugs between Majorca and Barcelona using speedboats. The group was reportedly selling roughly 8kg worth of cocaine every month.

"The Civil Guard has arrested 14 people, 13 in Majorca and one in Barcelona, suspected of belonging to a criminal organisation selling drugs in nightspots in Magaluf," read a statement from the Spanish law enforcement agency.

"During the 12 raids that took place, 3kg of high-purity cocaine was seized along with different amount of ecstasy pills, cannabis resin and methamphetamine,€103,000 in cash and four vehicles."

"Officers from Britain's National Crime Agency have cooperated with the Civil Guard to detain the members of this organisation," it added, as well as confirming that the two non-Brits arrested were from Spain and the Dominican Republic.

The operation was linked to a significant drug bust made in Majorca last year, which saw five Brits arrested as part of 'Operation Daju'.