Andorra Police Arrest Eight in Week of Drug, Smuggling, and Assault Busts

Police in Pas de la Casa and other areas have made multiple arrests over the past week amid intensified winter patrols, including three men for drug possession, a woman for smuggling luxury goods, a drunk driver, and several for physical assaults.

The drug cases began on 6 January in Encamp, where officers detained a 28-year-old non-resident carrying five ecstasy pills. Questioning led that afternoon to the arrest in Pas de la Casa of two residents, aged 34 and 40. Authorities seized from them five ecstasy pills, 3.2 grams of ecstasy powder, 0.7 grams of cocaine, and 11 grams of marijuana. A search of the 34-year-old's home uncovered an additional 12 grams of marijuana and 12 ecstasy pills, prompting trafficking charges against him. No links have been established between the men, nor evidence of large-scale dealing, though the initial suspect reportedly named a supplier—unconfirmed by matching pill batches. The tip stemmed from local awareness of small-scale sales rather than personal conflict.

All three men were released: the 34-year-old with charges pending further Batllia inquiries, while the Encamp suspect and his 40-year-old housemate—whose 0.5 grams of cocaine was deemed for personal use—received conditional penalties via fast-track proceedings by Wednesday evening.

Separate drug arrests occurred that Tuesday in Pas de la Casa, where a 28-year-old non-resident had 2.7 grams of cocaine, and on 7 January at the DCNJ border, where a 29-year-old non-resident carried 0.7 grams of cocaine and 2.3 grams of marijuana.

Customs and police at the Runer River border that same 6 January stopped a 47-year-old resident woman who drove past checks. She declared goods worth 3,049 euros via invoices, but a vehicle search revealed undeclared luxury clothing, shoes, a handbag, necklace, and tax-free receipts valued at around 80,000 euros, leading to her detention for socioeconomic order offences.

Road safety enforcement included the 9 January arrest in Andorra la Vella of a 40-year-old resident man with a blood alcohol level of 0.96 grams per litre.

Additional arrests brought the weekly total to eight, with two on 5 January for assaults: a non-resident couple, aged 33 and 36, in an Escaldes-Engordany hotel for mutual domestic violence after a woman called for help from a balcony; and a 29-year-old Canillo resident for attacking a coworker, causing dental injuries requiring stitches. On 7 January in Pas de la Casa, two tourists aged 29 and 30 faced charges of threats, assault, damage (1,844 euros), and resisting arrest—one threatened the other with a glass bottle before violently opposing detention.

All seized drug quantities await laboratory analysis, and no connections exist between the cases.