A 44-year-old man has been arrested at César Manrique Airport in Lanzarote after attempting to smuggle drugs into the islands, after being detained by the Guardia Civil during a routine inspection in the airport’s arrivals hall.
The man had arrived on a flight from Seville on 7th April when officers selected him for a random luggage check. Inside his bag, officers found a sealed package containing five brown tablets suspected to be hashish.
A more thorough search uncovered additional drugs concealed in his underwear, bringing the total quantity to 353 grams. He was promptly detained and transferred to the Magistrate’s Court in Arrecife to face legal proceedings.
The incident highlights the ongoing challenges posed by drug trafficking in the Canary Islands, which sit at a strategic crossroads between Europe, Africa, and the Americas.
The region’s busy ports and airports, central to tourism and trade, also make it a target for smuggling operations. In response, local and national authorities have intensified surveillance, introduced more frequent inspections, and strengthened international cooperation in efforts to prevent the illegal transport of narcotics.
