Spain dismantles megacartel: Crystal meth hidden in 12 tons of vanilla extract
In one of Europe's largest operations, police seized 2.5 tons of methamphetamine and arrested 13 people linked to Mexico's Jalisco New Generation cartel.
In one of Europe's largest operations, police seized 2.5 tons of methamphetamine and arrested 13 people linked to Mexico's Jalisco New Generation cartel.
On August 5, 2026, the Spanish police announced the seizure of a massive crystal meth production laboratory in the province of Barcelona. It is one of the largest such operations on European soil, with as much as 2,500 kilograms of this dangerous drug confiscated, which had been dissolved in liquid vanilla extract.
According to the Dutch public broadcaster NOS, Spanish authorities claim that a branch of the Mexican drug cartel Jalisco New Generation (CJNG) is behind the entire operation. The drug was smuggled from Mexico and, to conceal it, was dissolved in approximately 12 tons of liquid vanilla extract. To obtain crystal meth, the drug had to be chemically extracted from the liquid.
The investigation began in June 2026 after French authorities discovered a suspicious shipping container at the port of Le Havre en route from Mexico to Spain. Once the container entered Spanish territory, investigators secretly tracked it, discovered it contained a large amount of dissolved drug, and identified all individuals involved. In a coordinated operation by the Spanish police and the French anti-drug agency, raids were carried out in Barcelona, Lleida, and Tarragona, resulting in the arrest of 13 people.
The Telegram channel WarFront Witness reported on August 6, 2026, that among the 13 arrested were seven Mexican nationals, further confirming the direct link to the CJNG cartel. Of the total arrested, 12 have been remanded in custody.
This seizure of 2.5 tons of methamphetamine deals a significant blow to international drug trafficking networks and highlights the growing presence of powerful Mexican cartels in the European drug market.
