Sa Cabaneta in Turmoil: Large Villa Allegedly Occupied by Drug Suspects

Squatters stir fear in the village center

It was one of those cool October mornings when the mist still hangs among the orange trees, when the sirens went off: police moved into the center of Sa Cabaneta after neighbors noticed unusual traffic and unfamiliar people in an old villa. The large house, just a few minutes' walk from the main square and the bakery on Carrer des Pi, has stood empty for years.

Residents openly speak of concern. 'In the evenings the shops close earlier, people go home in groups', says a woman who does not want to give her name as she climbs the steps to the church. According to locals, those now arrested had lived there for an extended period — apparently unnoticed because there was little noise. Only a targeted police operation brought things to light: there were several arrests on suspicion of being connected to a larger drug case.

An inheritance dispute, a derelict house and neglect

According to neighbors, the building belongs to several brothers who inherited it years ago. None of them stepped in to repair or sell the ruin. Boarded windows, weeds in the yard, peeling plaster — an invitation, says an older man from the market stall who has sold tomatoes here for 30 years. 'When a house stands like that, it doesn't take long before someone moves in.'

The neighborhood is divided: some demand a quick eviction and stricter controls, others call for legal procedures to ensure no injustices are repeated. The judiciary is investigating, interviews are underway — details are being withheld for tactical reasons. For many, the question remains: how could this have gone on for so long, in the middle of the village?

Attempted occupation in Santa Margalida prevented

At the same time a second incident attracted attention: in Santa Margalida a group tried to occupy a vacant residential building in the center. Witnesses report that the locks had been changed. The local Policía Local, however, intervened quickly; alert residents had previously called the emergency number. Officers prevented the squatting action at the last minute, preventing major damage.

Such operations show how thin the line is between vacant properties and criminal uses. Councillors, police and residents are now discussing better reporting chains, regular inspections and possible short-term interim uses so that houses do not become dangerous.

For the people of Sa Cabaneta a queasy feeling remains after the raid. The bakery on the square closed earlier that morning; the kindergarten a few streets away did not let the children go out alone. Small signals, but they say a lot: a village looks out for one another — and wants to ensure this does not happen again.