Jesús Emilio Díez de Mier, known as Txutxi, a former professional footballer from Bilbao, has been arrested by the National Police in El Puerto de Santa María, Cádiz. Convicted by the National High Court for trafficking 950 kilograms of cocaine, Txutxi had been evading justice since 2015.
The arrest occurred on December 15 during a routine police check. Officers became suspicious when the individual provided false identification details. Further investigation confirmed the detainee was Txutxi, who had played for Athletic Bilbao during the 1995-1996 season before joining lower-division teams, including Hercules. During the 2001-2003 seasons, he played 50 games for Hercules, scoring two goals.
Txutxi, along with former Serbian footballer Predrag Stankovic—also a former Hercules player—was convicted of involvement in smuggling 950 kilos of cocaine into Spain as part of a criminal organization. The drugs, transported in containers from Argentina to the ports of Algeciras and Valencia between 2008 and 2009, were valued at over €32 million on the black market.
The case, known as Operation Cyclone, resulted in several convictions. The National High Court sentenced Txutxi, Stankovic, and other former footballers to prison terms ranging from 5 to 12 years, highlighting their roles in the illicit operation.
