A massive anti-drugs operation has been thrown into chaos after 24 suspects linked to a huge cocaine network were suddenly released from jail.

The group were arrested as part of ‘Operation Sombra Negra’, a major crackdown that dismantled a network accused of flooding Europe with up to 57 tonnes of cocaine.

But now, in a dramatic twist, a court ruling has forced their release after judges found their rights may have been breached.

At the heart of the decision is a Constitutional Court doctrine which says suspects must be given enough detail about the evidence against them when they are remanded in custody, even if the case is under secrecy.

In this case, the court ruled that while one suspect had been told about his alleged role, he was not given the actual substance of the evidence used to jail him. That included details from police surveillance and phone taps.

As a result, National Court judge Maria Tardon has now ordered the release of 24 suspects, although they remain under investigation and face precautionary measures.

The development has sparked alarm among prosecutors, who fear the ruling could weaken the fight against large-scale organised crime.

Operation Sombra Negra was one of the biggest anti-narcotics hits in recent years, with 105 arrests across two phases in the Canary Islands and Andalucia.

Police seized more than 10 tonnes of cocaine, along with boats, vehicles, weapons, cash and even large drones used in the operation.

Investigators believe the network was highly structured, with roles ranging from international financiers to river-based coordinators and ground-level lookouts.

At the centre of the alleged network is a figure investigators describe as the financial brain behind the operation.

Abselam Mohamed, known as ‘El Tapi’, is believed to be based in Dubai, far from the day-to-day risks of the trade, where he allegedly bankrolls the cocaine shipments heading into Spain.

From there, prosecutors say, he pulls the strings, funding large consignments and overseeing the wider operation from a distance.

On the ground in southern Spain, his trusted lieutenant Hassan M.M. is said to take charge. Operating out of the Campo de Gibraltar, he allegedly acts as the link between the boss abroad and the network in Spain, passing on orders, coordinating movements and ensuring shipments arrive as planned.

Among those released is another key figure, Juan Pedro F.N., known as ‘Zumbi’, who investigators believe played a crucial role in getting drugs into the country.

He is described as one of the leading players in a large-scale trafficking network that relied on powerful speedboats to move cocaine onto Spanish shores.

According to the case file, Zumbi’s base of operations was in La Línea de la Concepción, where he allegedly oversaw the entry of drugs via the Guadalquivir and other river routes.

These inland waterways are seen as strategic corridors, allowing traffickers to move shipments further into the peninsula while avoiding detection along the open coast. Investigators believe he answered directly to El Tapi.

Another figure, identified only as ‘Escorpion’, is said to have operated from Morocco, controlling the maritime side of the operation.

He allegedly managed fleets of high-speed boats loaded with cocaine and dictated where and when deliveries should take place.

Authorities suspect he had direct control over the narcolanchas used to transport tonnes of drugs not only to mainland Spain but also to the Canary Islands, making him a key player in the logistics of the network.

Despite the scale of the operation, the legal fallout has left authorities worried.

Anti-drug prosecutors say they are deeply concerned about the impact of the ruling, warning it could make it harder to tackle powerful criminal networks where secrecy is key to investigations.

For now, dozens of suspects once seen as central to a major drug empire are back on the streets.

Read more Andalucia news at the Spanish Eye.