Raid in Son Banya: 24-Year-Old Suspected Narco Boss Arrested

Early operation, large police presence in Son Banya

Around 6:30 a.m. on Thursday morning, residents in Son Banya heard the whir of a helicopter and saw headlights shining on the huts – the national police and the Guardia Civil conducted a coordinated raid. About one hundred officers were involved, with special forces taking over the searches, supported by drug enforcement, the organized crime unit, and the Palma local police.

Arrests and searches

In the operation, five people were arrested. Among them is a 24-year-old man who, according to investigators, is known in the scene by the nickname El Vito and is said to have recently taken on the alleged leadership role. The officers searched five apartments and secured several outlets in the settlement — four of them were named as selling points.

During the raids investigators seized various quantities of drugs. The police did not provide exact details about the scope and substances at first; a judge has temporarily restricted information disclosure for the case, so the investigations continue.

What residents report

Neighbors say it was “very loud”: doors were broken down, dogs barked, an older man on the stairs looked on with a coffee cup in hand. Some residents said that in recent months the atmosphere had changed – more people, other dealers. Several voices from the settlement talk of a reorganization: younger men had taken over, some families had left the neighborhood.

Insiders on the ground report that the groups in Son Banya had shifted their offerings: visible cocaine trade, less hashish and marijuana, and in some huts alcoholic beverages were reportedly served. The price for a gram of cocaine circulating in the scene was around €60.

Why the case matters

For the police, Son Banya has been a hotspot for decades, and a successful operation of this magnitude signals that authorities continue to take strong action against organized crime structures. At the same time, the situation in the settlement remains complex: old networks are dissolving, new actors are stepping in to diversify sources of income.

The investigations are ongoing. The prosecutor's office and the courts are currently working on processing the seizures and interrogations. For many residents, however, the worry remains: a raid brings short-term calm but does not automatically solve the social problems that such districts bear.

I was at the edge of the operation, talking to a neighbor who said: “We just want to be able to sleep again.” This is how the end of a long morning in Son Banya sounds — a feeling somewhere between relief and caution.