Assault on village

ARMED police and units from the organised crime squad stormed the Son Banya shanty town in a major anti-drugs operation. 

More than 100 officers supported by a helicopter conducted the raid on the rebel pueblo, home to the feared Los Andujar clan, and effectively imposed martial law while they searched for contraband. 

Cocaine of the highest purity was found at one strategic location, alongside marihuana and boxes of synthetic street drugs. The leader of the clan was reportedly captured along with hard drives, false documentation and thousands of euros in cash. 

The raid was the latest government assault on the Roma gypsy crime family considered a major player in Mallorca’s thriving narcotics underworld. Los Andajur are thought to have used their strong connections with crime syndicates on the mainland to traffic more than 150 kilos of cocaine to Mallorca this year alone. 

Dubbed ‘Operation Leticia’ the exercise began in October with the discovery of 20 kilograms of high-quality cocaine loaded in a car at the Palma Port. Police later acted on intelligence to identify which houses in Son Banya held a stash before making their move it.

National media have celebrated the ‘spectacular operation’ but it is far from the first time militarised police have raided the neighbourhood in huge numbers. Son Banya is largely considered an outlaw territory and gang stronghold.