Spain has arrested one of its senior police officers after €20 million (£17m) was found concealed within the walls of his residence. This discovery is part of an ongoing investigation linked to Spain’s largest cocaine seizure to date.
Óscar Sánchez Gil, who was previously in charge of the fraud and anti-money laundering division of Spain’s national police in Madrid, was detained last week along with 15 other individuals, including his romantic partner, also a police officer in Madrid, whose name has not been disclosed.
During a raid on the couple’s home in Alcalá de Henares, located east of Madrid, authorities uncovered €20 million in cash hidden within the walls and ceilings. Additionally, €1 million was found in Sánchez Gil’s office, stored in two locked cupboards containing €50-500 bills.
Both Sánchez Gil and his partner face serious charges, including drug trafficking, money laundering, corruption, and involvement in a criminal organization. They were brought before a court in Madrid last week and have since been remanded in custody.
Reports in Spanish media suggest that these arrests are linked to the seizure of 13 tonnes of cocaine discovered last month at the southern port of Algeciras, which arrived from the Ecuadorian city of Guayaquil. The cocaine, hidden among crates of bananas, is believed to be the largest drug bust in Spain’s history, and one of the biggest in the world.
The container, intended for a Spanish importer based in Alicante, had been receiving large shipments of fruit from Ecuador for years. Following the seizure, police carried out searches in Madrid and Alicante, revealing connections between the importer and Sánchez Gil.
Sánchez Gil had already been under suspicion by his colleagues, who had intercepted his phone calls. The officer, in his 40s and a father of three, is alleged to have been working with the traffickers for at least five years, providing them with critical information on port inspections, which allowed the drug shipments to avoid detection.
Although Sánchez Gil maintained a relatively modest lifestyle, the large amounts of cash found at his home led some police officers to draw comparisons between his residence and that of notorious Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar, who was killed by police in 1993. In one infamous instance, Escobar’s nephew claimed to have discovered $18 million hidden in the wall of one of Escobar’s properties.
Reports indicate that part of the money Sánchez Gil accumulated was laundered through the purchase of cryptocurrencies and the acquisition of a fleet of private hire vehicles registered under the name of one of his relatives.
Spain, due to its close historical ties with Latin American countries and its proximity to Morocco, has long been a primary entry point for drugs into Europe, particularly cocaine and cannabis.
