A DJ who performed at some of Ibiza's biggest nightclubs has been named as the alleged “mastermind” behind an international drug smuggling operation. The suspect is identified as DJ Hugo Bianco from Argentina, a former regular at Marco Carola's Music On parties in Ibiza, as well as iconic venues such as Amnesia, Pacha Ibiza, and Destino.
According to a court ruling, a joint investigation by Spain's Guardia Civil and US Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), dubbed Operation Pertinax, identified Bianco as the central figure in a trafficking network. The group is alleged to have moved significant quantities of MDMA, cocaine, ketamine, and cannabis across the Balearic Islands between September 2019 and August 2020. Investigators claim that portions of these shipments were subsequently transported to Miami by recruited couriers who concealed the substances within luggage and seemingly legitimate shipping containers.
Logistical Support and Legal Consequences
The investigation revealed that Bianco leveraged his extensive professional connections in both Ibiza and Miami to establish a sophisticated distribution route between Spain and the United States. Authorities allege that the 54-year-old provided critical logistical support to the operation from his home in Barcelona. Currently, he is believed to be residing in Florida, and authorities have officially declared him a “fugitive from justice” alongside two other suspects.
Last week, the High Court of Justice of the Balearic Islands (TSJB) upheld a nine-and-a-half-year prison sentence against Bianco. The ruling confirmed an earlier decision by the Provincial Court, maintaining convictions for drug trafficking, membership in a criminal organization, and electricity fraud. The court rejected arguments from the defense that Bianco was not a central figure in the operation and upheld the use of wiretapped phone conversations as key evidence.
In addition to the prison term, the court has ordered Bianco to pay a fine of €3 million (£2.59 million). As of now, the DJ has not provided a public comment regarding the sentence.