The high court's ruling confirms the nine and ten-year prison sentences for the two islanders involved, who are attributed a fundamental role in supervising and coordinating the illicit activity. The operation, led from abroad, aimed to transform base paste into cocaine hydrochloride for distribution.

The investigation, initiated in October 2022 in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, tracked two individuals with prior drug trafficking records. Agents detected frequent trips to the Iberian Peninsula and to Colombia, using cities like Miami, London, or Santo Domingo as security layovers.

The international network used a clandestine laboratory located in an isolated house in Cerdedo-Cotobade, Galicia, to process drugs arriving hidden in legal merchandise. Police investigations revealed a complex structure with Spanish individuals receiving instructions from Colombian and Mexican leaders, while in Spain, management fell to individuals nicknamed Botines, Corsario, and Culebras.

A large quantity of chemical precursors was acquired, stored in Madrid, and transported to Pontevedra hidden in pallets. One of the convicted Canary Islanders, nicknamed Botines, appealed the sentence, claiming to be a mere member without decision-making capacity. However, the court deemed him an 'in charge' due to his supervisory and coordination role, justifying the aggravation of his sentence.

The Criminal Chamber of the Supreme Court emphasizes that, although he received orders from leaders in Mexico and Colombia, his function as the person in charge of the infrastructure in Spain, including providing vehicles, warehouses, and villas through companies, forms the basis of his conviction. The sentence is final and not subject to appeal.