Police dismantle drug-dealing operation inside Maspalomas hair salon
Spanish National Police have arrested two men and shut down a drug-dealing operation that was being run from inside a hair salon in San Fernando de Maspalomas, one of Gran Canaria’s busiest tourist areas.
Police officers from Maspalomas and Telde launched the operation after receiving intelligence that a seemingly legitimate barber–hair salon was being used as a cover for the sale of illegal drugs. Surveillance quickly confirmed their suspicions, with officers observing a steady stream of people entering and leaving the premises at the Bellavista shopping centre, which is behaviour consistent with an active drug sales point.
Investigators also established that one of the suspects, the owner of the business, had previous convictions for drug-related offences and was allegedly exploiting the constant flow of customers to blend drug deals into everyday commercial activity and avoid detection.
The police operation was widened to include other locations linked to the suspects, including an adjoining unit rented by one of the detainees and a private home in the municipality of Telde. Further quantities of drugs were uncovered during these searches.
Officers seized more than 144 grams of cocaine and over 5.4 kilos of hashish, along with packaging and weighing equipment used for the preparation and distribution of narcotics, as well as computer and electronic devices connected to the criminal activity.
The operation ended with the arrest of both men and the complete dismantling of the drug sales point. After being brought before a judge, the owner of the hair salon was remanded in custody and sent to prison, bringing an end to a drug operation that had been operating in plain sight.
Share:
