20 arrests, as police bust Benidorm gangs that used QR codes to sell drugs to tourists

Spain’s National Police have taken down two criminal networks engaged in the sale of drugs to tourists in Benidorm.

The groups had covered various public areas of Benidorm – including lampposts, benches and furniture in tourist areas, as well as at bank branches — with QR code stickers. When scanned, these codes enabled tourists to negotiate drug prices and arrange pick-up locations.

This system relied on a QR-based communication channel that required user authorisation. Once scanned, buyers were directed to a messaging platform where deals were arranged. Deliveries were either made in person or by concealing the substances in common public spots.

Authorities have arrested 20 individuals — 17 men and three women. According to the police, the suspects are split into two groups: one focused on direct sales to tourists, and the other served as a supplier to that group as well as to additional networks.

The investigation started in February, after officers discovered the QR code stickers in Benidorm’s entertainment districts. It quickly became clear that the method was tailored to target international tourists. Police noted that the placement of the codes indicated ‘premeditated planning’, and their investigation led them to a well-frequented venue popular among young foreigners, which had its own surveillance system.

Inside this location, authorities identified a criminal group led by a man who stored and managed the drug supply at his residence. A woman was in charge of handling the money from her home, while other group members had tasks such as recruitment, escorting buyers, and conducting surveillance.

Further investigation revealed a second, more sophisticated organisation with a structured hierarchy. This group was the main supplier of drugs to the first gang and others, operating from its own processing facilities.

In the first phase of the operation, police detained eight suspects through raids on both the establishment and the leader’s home. Seized items included nearly 2 kg of marijuana, more than 1 kg of hashish, 628 grams of cocaine, half a kilogram of MDMA, 20 grams of crystal meth, €795 in cash, four mobile phones, drug-processing tools, lock-picking instruments, and two vehicles.

The second stage of the operation targeted the supplier organisation, resulting in the arrest of 10 more individuals in Benidorm. Authorities carried out three residential searches and one at a storage unit, which contained a hidden cocaine lab.

There, police seized over 4 kg of cocaine, nearly 6 kg of marijuana, close to 5 kg of hashish, around half a kilogram of MDMA/ecstasy, and 555 grams of cutting agents. They also confiscated more than €5,500 in cash, £500 sterling, a 9 mm semi-automatic pistol with several rounds of ammunition, a metal hydraulic press, three precision scales, various drug-packaging tools, and a vehicle.

The arrested individuals range in age from 22 to 63. Eleven of them have prior criminal records. All were brought before the Benidorm Magistrate’s Court, which ordered the immediate pretrial detention of three of the suspects.