The Guardia Civil has arrested a 53-year-old man in Ibiza who had been wanted since December 2025 in connection with the CAVALIERI investigation into a drug-trafficking organisation operating between Ibiza and mainland Spain.

The arrest took place on the morning of Thursday, September 24, after investigators located the man on the island.

According to the Guardia Civil, he was wanted under a search and arrest order over his alleged involvement in the organisation.

Arrest follows months of investigation

The arrest forms part of Operation CAVALIERI, a long-running investigation led by the Territorial Judicial Police Team of the Guardia Civil in Ibiza.

Investigators have been working to locate several people who remained wanted in connection with the organisation and its alleged role in introducing drugs into the Balearic Islands.

The latest arrest brings the number of people detained in the operation to 26.

The Guardia Civil has not publicly detailed the specific role allegedly attributed to the 53-year-old man within the organisation.

1,558 kilograms of cocaine seized

The wider operation has resulted in the seizure of 1,558 kilograms of cocaine and nearly 11 tonnes of hashish, according to figures released by the authorities.

The investigation concerns an organisation allegedly involved in the large-scale introduction of narcotics into the Balearic Islands, with Ibiza identified as a key part of its activity.

The investigation has involved routes connecting South America, mainland Spain and Ibiza, with authorities previously identifying several methods allegedly used to transport the drugs.

Investigation began in 2023

The wider investigation dates back to October 2023, when authorities intercepted 8.3 tonnes of hashish on a beach in northern Ibiza.

The drugs were found in three vans.

The subsequent investigation also led authorities to seize €686,000 in cash from a storage unit in Ibiza, according to the Spanish government's account of the operation.

Authorities subsequently identified a wider network and investigated different methods allegedly used to introduce drugs into the Balearic Islands.

These included maritime routes and transport through mainland ports, as well as vehicles and other logistical methods.

Operation remains open

The latest arrest does not mark the end of the investigation.

The Guardia Civil says inquiries remain ongoing as officers continue efforts to locate other people who may still be pending arrest in connection with the organisation.

The 53-year-old man is being investigated in connection with alleged drug-trafficking activity. An arrest or investigation does not establish guilt, which would have to be determined through the judicial process.

A wider operation involving several agencies

The CAVALIERI investigation formed part of a wider joint operation involving the Guardia Civil, the Tax Agency's Customs Surveillance service and the National Police.

The authorities' February 2026 account said the investigation had resulted in 26 arrests at that stage and the seizure of 1,558 kilograms of cocaine and almost 11 tonnes of hashish.

The latest arrest in Ibiza represents a further development in efforts to locate people allegedly connected to the network.