A coordinated police operation across Spain, Bulgaria and Greece has led to the arrest of 21 suspects, including a Europol “high-value target” linked to a network suspected of swapping firearms for cannabis.
The action took place on 23 March and targeted key members of a group suspected of moving guns from the Western Balkans and Turkey into the European Union and trading them in drug deals, Europol announced on Monday.
The main suspect is a Turkish national with a Greek residence permit and is believed to have coordinated the sourcing and transport of firearms into Spain while overseeing the purchase and distribution of drugs to other countries, including Greece and Bulgaria.
The investigation began in March 2025 after Catalan police force Mossos d’Esquadra detected firearms being illegally brought in from Turkey and distributed to criminal groups in Catalonia.
Investigators said firearms were concealed in vehicles and lorries with hidden compartments and transported into the EU before being circulated within criminal networks.
Europol said the network trafficked “Frankenstein” weapons — hybrid guns made from original components combined with handmade metal parts — which it described as difficult to trace.
Cannabis trafficking and seizures
Alongside weapons trafficking, the group was suspected of moving large quantities of cannabis from Catalonia to destinations including Turkey and Greece using land and maritime routes, Europol said.
The network was assessed as having the capacity to transport up to 1.5 tonnes of marijuana per month.
During the investigation, about 550 kilograms of marijuana were seized along with firearms and ammunition.
On the 23 March action day, Spain arrested 18 suspects in locations including Barcelona, Mataró, Sabadell and Málaga, while Bulgaria arrested the alleged leader in Sofia along with two others.
Seizures during the wider investigation included seven semi-automatic pistols, one “war-grade” weapon, silencers and sound suppressors, 587 kg of marijuana and 76 kg of hashish, with an estimated illicit market value of €4.4 million.
