Six months in jail for bicarbonate: Moroccan man sues Spanish state

A 39-year-old Moroccan man is planning to file a compensation lawsuit against the Spanish state after spending nearly six months in pre-trial detention, only for tests to later confirm that the substance he was accused of possessing was not a drug, but simple bicarbonate.

His release came after the investigating judge at the Telde Court received the final laboratory report on March 19, confirming that the substance contained no controlled substances and bringing an end to his 180-day detention on suspicion of drug trafficking.

The case dates back to October 18, 2025, when Civil Guard officers, in coordination with local police, stopped a car near El Burrero beach in Arinaga, on the island of Gran Canaria. The man was found carrying a bag of white powder. A rapid field test indicated the presence of amphetamines, despite his repeated claims that it was bicarbonate.

Based on that initial result, authorities placed him in provisional detention while awaiting a full laboratory analysis. Despite repeated requests from his defense for an expedited process, the results took several months to arrive, ultimately confirming what he had maintained from the outset.