Sito Miñanco receives seventeen years in major Operation Mito cocaine case
A Spanish court sentenced José Ramón Prado Bugallo, known as Sito Miñanco, to seventeen years for drug trafficking and money laundering. The case concerns almost four tonnes of cocaine and cooperation with a Dutch network. Lawyer Gonzalo Boye was acquitted. This background report covers the judgment of 23 September.
Sito Miñanco is a well-known figure in Galicia’s drug trade. In Operation Mito, the Audiencia Nacional found that he again led an organisation bringing cocaine from South America to Europe. It imposed twelve years for trafficking and five for laundering within a criminal organisation.
The judgment says his group worked with an organisation led by Dutchman Raymond Van Rij. The case includes 615kg found in a warehouse in Den Hoorn and more than 3.3 tonnes aboard the ship Thoran. Both shipments date from 2017.
Miñanco also received fines exceeding €420 million. The court considered both previous convictions and the exceptionally long proceedings when setting the sentence. The trial had concluded in March 2025.
Gonzalo Boye was acquitted of laundering and document forgery relating to almost €900,000 seized at Barajas airport. His involvement was not sufficiently proved. The judgment was open to challenge.
