The Botafuegos penitentiary center, located in Algeciras, has recently experienced one of its most challenging weeks. Coinciding with the celebration of Holy Week, the Acaip union has issued a complaint about a worrying surge in drug consumption within the prison. This situation has led to multiple health emergencies, violent episodes, and a significant risk for both inmates and staff.
According to the union, the presence of these toxic substances not only disrupts coexistence but has also become a key factor in insecurity and the most frequent cause of non-natural deaths among the inmate population. Recent events, they assert, are a clear example of this trend.
The first incidents were reported just before Holy Week, when communication area officials alerted health services after an inmate collapsed, suddenly beginning to vomit. The prisoner had to be urgently stabilized, in a scene witnessed by his own mother and daughter. During the intervention, seven sheets of paper impregnated with toxic substances were confiscated from him.
The situation worsened days later, when in a single day, four "code 5" alerts, the emergency protocol for vital risk, were activated. Although all inmates were stabilized, the scale of the problem became evident in the center's infirmary, where fifteen prisoners were treated that same day under the effects of these substances. One had to be isolated due to extremely violent behavior, another was caught hiding impregnated paper in his intimate parts, and a third required hospital transfer.
The root of this problem, as explained by Acaip, lies in what are known as "toxic paperitos." These are sheets of paper, usually A4 size, impregnated with synthetic chemical substances that can range from amphetamines, ketamine, or cannabis derivatives to high-potency opioids like fentanyl. Subsequently, the paper is cut into small strips and mixed with tobacco to be smoked.
The risk is extreme, as users are unaware of both the exact substance and the ingested dose. This, combined with the simultaneous consumption of methadone, other drugs, or psychiatric medication, multiplies the probabilities of suffering severe intoxications, respiratory failure, or even death. Despite this, their low cost, approximately eight euros per dose, has led this system to displace traditional drugs such as hashish, cocaine, or heroin within the center.
The main entry point for these substances is letters arriving from outside. The impregnated paper, colorless and odorless, is introduced in seemingly normal correspondence, often decorated with drawings or accompanied by family photographs to avoid suspicion. The union denounces that officials lack technical means to detect this type of drug, as there are no specific reagents, and canine units are not effective in these cases. Furthermore, subsequent investigations often lead nowhere due to the use of false senders.
This problem is not new. Acaip already warned approximately two years ago about the entry of these substances into Botafuegos prison. Since then, the situation has only worsened. In 2025 alone, three inmates died from causes related to the consumption of these "paperitos," and more than forty had to be treated in the center's infirmary. So far in 2026, the number of affected individuals is already close to forty, with at least two hospital transfers.
Given this scenario, the union criticizes the lack of effective measures by the Spanish Ministry of Interior and the penitentiary administration. They demand urgent solutions to curb a threat that, they warn, continues to grow and could cause new serious incidents at any moment.
