Students among Britons held in Ibiza drug ring probe

A number of students were among a group of 20 Britons arrested after police smashed a suspected drugs ring on Ibiza, authorities said today.

Extensive searches on the Balearic island uncovered a haul of illegal substances including 38,000 ecstasy tablets, 8.8lb (4kg) of cocaine, 8.8oz (250g) of ketamine, 7 pints (4l) of GHB, and 1.8oz (50g) grams of crystal MDMA.

Some 56,000 euro (£45,840) was also seized as part of Operation Arrow - a joint venture by the UK's Serious Organised Crime Agency (Soca) and the Spanish National Guard.

The 14 men and 11 women arrested are believed to be members of the most active gang on the island involved in the nightclub drugs scene.

They include two Irish nationals, a Czech national, a Slovak and a Spaniard, along with 20 Britons who come from London, Liverpool, Manchester and Newcastle.

Police believe the drugs ring was led from the UK and had two branches in Ibiza - one in charge of establishing contacts and another responsible for distributing the drugs.

The gang is believed to have rented luxury villas on the island for its ringleaders and flats and apartments in tourist resorts for its dealers.

A spokesman for Soca said: "The ring used young 'public relations' people in nightclubs to distribute drugs and ensured similar prices were charged at each point of sale, depending on the time and place."

While the dealers are believed to have kept some substances for daily distribution, most were placed in secure houses.

Alleged gang members living overseas are believed to have visited the island to supervise the operation and collect its proceeds.

A dozen houses were searched following the launch of a surveillance investigation in September, when the Civil Guard dismantled a British organisation involved in drug trafficking in Ibiza.

Authorities believe their suspects were trying to build the necessary infrastructure for drug distribution during the summer months.

A spokesman for Soca said the illegal substances were smuggled on to the island in cars coming from the UK or in the luggage of British tourists flying in to Ibiza for their holidays.

One young British woman is alleged to have carried 6.6lb (3kg) of cocaine through the airport before she was halted on August 8.

Officers working on the investigation have also seized a hydraulic tablet press, several precision weighing balances and a number of substances used to cut drugs, along with a selection of documents.

The properties searched were in San Antonio de Portmany, Santa Eulalia and San Jose de Sa Talaia.

A spokeswoman for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office said the department was aware of the arrests and was offering consular assistance.