Spanish authorities arrested a 46-year-old Nigerian passenger at Palma de Mallorca Airport after finding 109 cocaine packets concealed inside his body on a flight from Brussels South Charleroi. The man was intercepted on arrival on 6 September following advance intelligence, then placed under medical supervision at Son Espases University Hospital while the packets were recovered naturally.
The operation involved the Guardia Civil, Policía Nacional and Spanish customs surveillance officers. A superficial search and baggage check found nothing, but an X-ray revealed the concealed packets, with the total haul reported at about 1.353 kilograms. The suspect remained under police custody during treatment and was later remanded in provisional detention by a judge.
The case underlines the continuing use of internal-body smuggling routes into the Balearic Islands and the need for close coordination between airline-travel intelligence, airport screening and border enforcement at Palma, a major leisure gateway for Spain. It also highlights how early identification on arrival can allow police to move quickly before couriers disperse into the airport network.