In a sweeping international crackdown, authorities in Spain, the United States, and the Netherlands have dismantled a major European cell of the Cártel de Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG), one of Mexico’s most powerful and violent criminal organizations. The operation, conducted in mid-November 2025, led to the arrest of 20 individuals and the seizure of 1,870 kilograms of cocaine, firearms, and millions in cash.
The joint effort—coordinated by Spain’s Policía Nacional, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and Dutch law enforcement—targeted what officials described as the CJNG’s “European office,” a sophisticated logistics hub based in Madrid. The cartel had reportedly established a business-like infrastructure, complete with industrial machinery and ties to the Italian Camorra, to facilitate large-scale drug trafficking across the continent.
The raid, dubbed Operación Oyamel, culminated in the storming of a luxury residence in Madrid that served as the cartel’s command center. Of the 20 arrested, 15 have been placed in pretrial detention, including two individuals considered high-priority targets by U.S. authorities.
Spanish Interior Ministry officials emphasized the significance of the bust, noting that it disrupts a key transatlantic supply chain linking Latin American producers to European markets. The operation also highlights the CJNG’s growing global footprint and its ability to forge alliances with other criminal syndicates.
This marks one of the most significant blows to Mexican cartel operations in Europe to date, underscoring the increasing international cooperation required to combat transnational organized crime.
Sources: MVS Noticias, Diario Puntual
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