Taxi drivers were allegedly at the heart of a sophisticated drug network moving cocaine, ecstasy and cannabis across the Costa del Sol, it has emerged.

The operation, uncovered by the Policia Nacional and dubbed Carroza, has led to 10 arrests in Torremolinos and Benalmadena, including three drivers accused of turning their vehicles into mobile distribution units.

Investigators say the network supplied both regular users and other traffickers, operating through a web of homes, stash points and trusted couriers.

At the centre of it all, according to police, was a taxi driver based in Arroyo de la Miel who maintained close contact with a couple allegedly running a drug dealing point from their own flat.

From there, the operation expanded. Police believe the driver worked alongside two other taxi drivers to transport significant quantities of drugs between locations, delivering to clients and fellow dealers without raising suspicion.

Moving through busy streets, ranks and pick-up points, their activity blended seamlessly into the everyday rhythm of the Costa.

The scale of the operation became clear when officers moved in.

Five properties were raided, leading to the dismantling of two active drug-selling points and the discovery of a so-called ‘guardería’ – a stash house – in La Carihuela.

Inside, officers found not just quantities of cocaine and ecstasy, but a fully functioning indoor cannabis plantation with 152 plants, along with equipment used to process and prepare drugs for sale.

The network’s infrastructure extended beyond a single location. Police say the group relied on multiple homes, storage spaces and premises to hide narcotics and keep supply flowing across the coast.

During the searches, officers seized nearly a kilo of cocaine, along with ecstasy, hashish and cutting agents used to dilute the drugs before sale.

They also recovered hundreds of pills, tens of thousands of euros in cash, vehicles and specialist equipment used in drug preparation.

Authorities describe the group as a structured criminal organisation with clearly defined roles, from storage and logistics to transport and street-level distribution – with the taxi drivers playing a crucial role in keeping the operation moving.

All 10 suspects, aged between 23 and 58, have been brought before a court in Torremolinos. Four of them, considered key figures in the network, have been remanded in custody as the investigation continues.

Read more Andalucia news at the Spanish Eye.