Irishman arrested in Magaluf on suspicion of drug smuggling

Gerard Couzens

Police in Mallorca have arrested an Irishman on suspicion of peddling drugs in Magaluf.

The man, understood to be aged in his 20s, was stopped after trying to escape police who went to identify him in the early hours of Tuesday morning.

He was intercepted at Son Matias beach in neighbouring Palmanova.

Police seized a bag he had on him containing cocaine, viagra and ecstasy, as well as more than €500 in cash thought to have come from the proceeds of other drugs he had already sold.

The arrest came less than 48 hours after another Irishman was held at Ibiza Airport after flying to the island with drugs in his suitcase.

A specialist police sniffer dog detected 28kg of cocaine, 15 ecstasy tablets and several grams of cannabis resin found in an otherwise-empty bottle of shower gel after the 38-year-old suspect was made to open the case in front of detectives.

Revealing the latest arrest, a Civil Guard spokesperson confirmed: “The Civil Guard has arrested an Irish national as the suspected author of a crime of drug trafficking in Magaluf.

“In the early hours of Tuesday morning, officers from an elite unit called the GRS which controls tourist areas went to identify a youngster who reacted by running away.

“The Civil Guard intercepted him a short time after near to Son Matias Beach in Palmanova.

“When they searched his belongings they found a bag containing cocaine, viagra and ecstasy which was dosed up and ready for sale. They also confiscated €540 from him.”

Speaking on Sunday of the earlier arrest at Ibiza Airport, a spokesperson for the Civil Guard said: “Civil Guard officers have arrested an Irish national in the arrivals area of Ibiza Airport as the suspected author of a crime of drug trafficking.

“The drugs were discovered on Sunday afternoon during a routine search Civil Guard officers were carrying out in the luggage reclaim area, assisted by a specialist sniffer dog called Ahzarus trained to detect illicit substances.

“The dog which was walking around one of the luggage belts, ‘marked’ one of the suitcases on a flight coming from Ireland. When the passenger picked up his case, the officers asked him to open it in a private customs area.

“Inside they found a bottle of shower gel with several packages inside that contained 28 grams of cocaine, 15 ecstasy tablets and several more grams of cannabis resin.”