Three Arrested in Spain Over Opium Poppy Mail Trafficking

MADRID:Spanish police announced Saturday that three men were arrested on suspicion of shipping dried opium poppy capsules by mail across Spain and abroad, including shipments to the United States.

The arrests took place in January, and the suspects have remained in custody, the Civil Guard said in a statement. They face charges related to drug trafficking and crimes against public health.

The investigation began in September 2025 after four postal shipments containing nearly 7 kilograms (15.4 pounds) of plant-based substances were intercepted at Alicante-Elche Miguel Hernández Airport, the main gateway to Alicante and the Costa Blanca region. Analysis confirmed the substance as “Papaver somniferum,” which is used to produce opium and its derivatives.

Investigators found that the same surname appeared on all shipments for both senders and recipients. The packages were sent from different addresses in Los Alcázares, in the Murcia region.

The operation identified three men from the same clan, all born in India. Authorities seized a total of 527 kilograms (about 1,161 pounds) of Papaver somniferum. Further checks revealed that the men had been linked to recent thefts of opium poppy from legal pharmaceutical plantations in the province of Albacete.

“In Spain there are legal crops of this plant intended for pharmaceutical use,” said Álvaro Gallardo. “But there are many people who extract opium completely illegally for consumption or trafficking, something dangerous if done uncontrollably, since it is a narcotic substance.”

The three suspects were brought before the investigating court of the judicial district of Elche, which ordered their imprisonment.