Police seizures of cocaine in Spain, the main country of entry for drug-smuggling into Europe, surged by more than a quarter in 2013 to 27 tonnes, the government said on Monday.
Spanish police said on Wednesday they had arrested nine people, including one of the country's biggest drug smugglers, after finding cocaine hidden among a shipment of bananas from Colombia.
How did Spaniards come to be among the biggest consumers of cocaine in Europe? Is there something about the drug that makes it a perfect fit for Spain? The Local talked to movers and shakers in the field to get the inside story.
