Valentine’s Day gifts used to smuggle ‘pink cocaine’ in Spain

Operation Cupid began in February, when agents noticed a series of parcel shipments from Madrid destined for Colombia and Australia which were declared as gifts.

Hidden inside these shipments were drugs such as MDMA and 2C-B or TUSI, a narcotic substance known as ‘pink cocaine’.

The agents seized 4,300g of MDMA, as well as more than 400g of various drugs, including cocaine, 2C-B and ecstasy.

Following an examination of the existing shipments, the Spanish Civil Guard intercepted five more shipments carrying Valentine's Day themed gifts, where they located approximately 800g of ecstasy and cocaine.

Agents were then able to identify a number of women, all young Colombian nationals, who were involved in sending the parcels.

The women and their movements were tracked through their use of public transport and agents traced them back to office buildings in the centre of Madrid where Valentine’s Day gift figures were manufactured through 3D printing.

Police confirmed that the leaders of the group operated from these offices, which is also where the ‘pink cocaine’ was made by mixing ketamine and MDMA together with pink dye.

Nine people were subsequently arrested, five women and four men, including the leaders of the organisation and those in charge of making the festive figurines used to hide the drugs.

One of those arrested was a criminal known as ‘The Magician’, who specialised in conjuring up the narcotic cocktails.

An additional seven people are being investigated for their involvement in the scheme after they were linked to the drugs lab through rental documents and various receipts of payment.

The suspects are accused of crimes against public health through drug trafficking and belonging to a criminal organization.

Agents have carried out two searches to date – the first being the office in Madrid from which the gang operated and the second in a storage room in the town of Torrejón de Ardoz just outside Madrid.

The police operation is being carried out by agents of the Fiscal and Border Unit of Madrid and supervised by the Investigating Court No. 28 of Plaza Castilla.