Spanish police arrest hashish network leader in Tangier after 86 detentions

The arrest and the months on the run

Spanish National Police said the leader of a hashish trafficking network, named as Juan Carlos T.B. and known as 'Moreno', was arrested in Tangier, Morocco, on 8 October 2026. He left a luxury development in Madrid in March 2026 and had been untraceable until officers located him in Tangier on an international arrest warrant. He is now held in Morocco while Spain awaits his extradition. Police announced the arrest on Tuesday, 27 October 2026, at a press conference attended by UDYCO Central officers.

How the network operated

Investigators say the group brought hashish in from Morocco through Spanish coasts, then moved it to Madrid for storage before distribution across Spain and Europe. The investigation, run by Section 1 of the Audiencia Nacional's investigating courts, began in early 2025 after officers found the suspects using encrypted messaging apps. La Vanguardia reports that the organisation had been operating since 2021, a start date the other outlets do not give. According to the police, the leader ran logistics, negotiating with Moroccan suppliers, planning sea and road routes, buying vehicles and properties, and coordinating the carriers and warehouse staff.

The group laundered its profits through fake payrolls and invoices, fraudulent loans, and luxury property and vehicles. The leader himself drew monthly payslips of more than 5,000 euros net from a graphic arts company where investigators could not establish any effective work. That payroll arrangement is what first drew the investigators' suspicion, according to La Vanguardia.

Seizures and arrests

Police dismantled seven storage points in Madrid, Guadalajara and Valencia and seized 10.8 tonnes of hashish. Reports differ on the marijuana seized: most give 20 kilos of buds, while La Razón gives 21.8 kilos of marijuana. EL PAÍS adds two long guns, 25 vehicles and nearly half a million euros in cash to the haul. In total, 86 people were detained on charges of belonging to a criminal organisation, drug trafficking and money laundering, and 18 of them were remanded in prison. Most arrests were made in Madrid, as the breakdown shows.

Madrid65

Guadalajara10

Valencia5

Málaga3

Burgos1

Almería1

Girona1

Madrid

65 people

Guadalajara

10 people

Valencia

5 people

Málaga

3 people

Burgos

1 people

Almería

1 people

Girona

1 people

Data from the article text

La Razón reports that officers carried out 33 searches, 23 of them in Madrid. The investigation is still open, and La Razón says no further arrests or seizures are ruled out.

Timeline of the case

The investigation began in early 2025, the leader disappeared in March 2026 and was arrested on 8 October. The announcement followed on 27 October, nearly three weeks later.