“Gangs of Galicia” (“Clanes” in Spanish) is a newly released Netflix show about drug trafficking in the beautiful landscape of Galicia. Directed by Manuel Rivas (“The Snow Queen”), it stars Clara Lago, as a determined lawyer and Tamar Novas as Daniel who plays the role of a son of a powerful drug dealer. “Gangs of Galicia” shows the stunning beauty of the Galician countryside, with its picturesque scenery. The series delves deep into themes of ambition, family loyalty, and the corruptive nature of power.
Cast with Characters
- Ana Soriano (Clara Lagi): The protagonist, a successful lawyer in Madrid who investigates her father’s secret life and his connections to a drug empire in Galicia.
- Jorge Soriano / Jose Silva (Monti Castiñeiras): Ana’s father, who is murdered. He was once part of the Padín drug gang under the alias Jose Silva.
- Daniel Padín (Tamar Novas): The head of the Padín drug empire, attracted to Ana and becomes her lover. He eventually gets arrested for his crimes.
- Jose Padín Sr. (Miguel De Lira): The former leader of the drug empire, imprisoned but still influential. Orders the murder of Jose Silva.
- Nazario – The Padín family’s old and trusted lawyer, whom Ana replaces.
- Berta Figaredo (María Pujalte): Jorge’s former lover, involved in his past life in Cambados.
- Laura Silva (Melania Cruz): Jorge’s daughter from his first relationship with Berta, Ana’s stepsister.
- Naranjo (Francesc Garrido): The police officer leading the investigation against the Padín drug gang.
- Samuel (Diego Anido): A gang member who becomes an informant for the police but ultimately goes rogue.
- Tono (Chechu Salgado): A loyal henchman of the Padín family, one of the brothers close to Daniel.
- Nilo (Xosé Antonio Touriñán): Tono’s brother and another close associate of the Padín family.
- Marco (Nuno Gallego) – Tono and Nilo’s nephew, who turns informant after his girlfriend Maria’s death.
- Teresa Soriano – Ana’s mother, devastated by Jorge’s murder and unaware of his secret past.
- Maria Silva – Laura Silva’s daughter and Marco’s girlfriend, killed by Samuel in a shootout.
Plot Summary
Ana Gonzalez Soriano, a lawyer in Madrid, is devastated when her father is killed aboard his tourist boat. This shocking revelation shakes Ana’s core as she discovers that her father had been secretly living life as a witness under the federal government’s protection against a known drug cartel, the Padín family. Ana feels deceived and moves to Cambados. There, she meets Daniel, who is currently running the Padín organization (while his imprisoned father still runs the operations behind bars), and begins to get closer to him. Daniel recruits Ana as his defense lawyer, unaware that she knows his criminal background. As Ana uncovers the town’s secrets, her life intertwines with the dangerous world of the Padín family and the national police’s watchful eyes, seeking the truth about her father.
Who is Ana Soriano?
Also read: “Nelma Kodama: The Queen Of Dirty Money” (2024) Documentary Explained: Who Is Nelma Kodama?
“Gangs of Galicia” begins in Madrid, where Ana Soriano, a successful attorney, concludes an important meeting at which she has just closed a big deal. She is often described as confident and capable because she works for one of the best law firms in Spain. Soon after her success, she receives a call from her dad, whose name is Jorge, and they are quite close. They chat about what’s been going on in their lives, and Jorge tells her about a rich couple he once served while they were out sailing his boat, which offers luxury expeditions around Madrid. Unfortunately, sometime during the trip, the man who was among the tourists killed Jorge inexplicably, leaving Ana and her mother Teresa devastated and confused.
The murder of Jorge leaves Ana and her mother, Teresa, heartbroken. The police are unable to locate any suspects or leads since they do not have enemies. Months later, Ana and Teresa find out from Jorge’s attorney that he has left behind a large sum of money in a secret bank account meant for two mysterious women, Berta Figaredo and Laura Silva, from Cambados in Galicia. This shocks her greatly, leading to concerns that maybe her father had a double life involving criminal activities, especially drug trafficking operations said to be linked to a cartel in Cambados.
Ana begins to suspect that there was something hidden by her father, so she investigates further. This is when she finds out that Jorge was part of a drug empire in Cambados. She decides to go down to Galicia, as she wants to know about other things he did when he was alive and his relationship with these women. During this trip, Ana immerses herself in the world of family secrets, betrayal, and unknown truths that are likely to greet her while she is in Galicia.
Ana’s Father’s True Identity
When Ana went to Pontevedra, she found a new legal practice and told everyone that she had moved there from Madrid. It is not long before she finds Daniel Padín, the reigning kingpin of a powerful drug cartel empire. The Padíns have been operating this illegal enterprise for many years, spreading their network around Mediterranean nations. After his father, Jose Padín, was put behind bars, Daniel took over leadership of the family business. Being attracted by Ana, he invites her to represent him in a minor judicial case and soon wishes her to become their official attorney, replacing their old attorney, Nazario. Ana gets closer to Berta and Laura as she helps them save their bakery.
As Ana gets deeper into the Padín family, she comes face-to-face with her father’s true identity. Indeed, Jorge was living a double life. His real name was Jose Silva, and at some point in time, he used to be one of the key members of the drug ring headed by Padín. Silva remained faithful to Jose until police found out about an alleged relationship between Berta—Silva’s lawful wife—and Padín, which might explain why Laura could be Padín’s daughter. This angered Silva, who then decided to expose Padín by giving police information that led to his arrest.
Silva’s testimony was used by the police to build a solid case against Padín, causing them to take Silva under witness protection. Nevertheless, Padín’s son Daniel did later find out that Silva had double-crossed his dad. Accordingly, Silva was forced to flee in order to save his life. For safety reasons, Silva left Cambados behind and lost his old family, Berta and young Laura, as well. From here, he changed his name to Jorge, met Teresa, and started a family.
Berta and Laura, who still ran a bakery while residing in Cambados, lived in fear of possible revenge from the famous Padíns’ family. They realized that Silva was dead when they received an anonymous donation of money. They were afraid that Daniel’s father, Padín Sr., would come after them when he was released from jail soon.
At this point, Ana was chosen by Berta and Laura as their attorney since she has become closer with Laura, realizing that they are sisters. Ana disguises her real identity for a long time, but Nazario discovers at the end of the series that she is actually Jose Silva’s daughter.
Who Killed Ana’s Father?
Ana got in deep with the Padín family, even working for Padín Sr. himself, despite how dangerous they were. She was determined to discover who killed her father, and she suspects that Daniel Padín, the current head of the drug gang, was behind his death. It makes sense to her that Daniel would want to eliminate Silva after discovering he had a secret life in Madrid while running things since his father went to prison.
Ana struggles with her feelings because she has fallen in love with Daniel. She feels attracted to him by his charm and honesty in business, and they end up starting a romantic relationship. However, she has sworn an oath not to rest till she has avenged her father’s death while still speaking softly into Teresa’s ear about tearing down the Padín dynasty. This conflict within herself continues until Ana finds a male tourist who looks like the one on the day of her dad’s murder incident. After further investigations, realization dawns upon her.
Daniel was furious because of Silva’s betrayal, as they were once very close. Padín Sr.’s arrest made Silva turn out to be a father figure for the young Daniel, and he also knew about some hidden money stashes in their house. When Silva stole the money and testified against his father, Daniel vowed that he would take revenge. He spent years searching for Silva until he located him in Madrid.
Nevertheless, it was Padín Sr., still controlling his empire from prison, who ordered Silva’s murder. Even behind bars, Padín Sr. maintained his influence and could communicate and run his business because he was often released for unmonitored community service. Knowing that Daniel had found him, he sent goons to kill him, either out of revenge or due to his belief that Daniel was too emotionally attached to Silva to do it by himself. At the end of things, it wasn’t actually Daniel who masterminded the murder of Silva, but Padín Sr.
“Gangs of Galicia” (2024) Ending Explained: Who Is a New Mole in Daniel’s Gang?
When Ana comes to Pontevedra at the beginning of “Gangs of Galicia,” an officer named Naranjo creates a new mole inside the Padín gang. A man named Samuel is given a phone that has been attached to a GPS for use on one mission, but the plan does not succeed. Eventually, the police lose track of the drug-smuggling boat, and Samuel gets caught. The gang tortures him for days and finally lets him go. Samuel becomes desperate after thinking he had been abandoned by his fellow officers and shoots several gang members, including Daniel as well as Tono, who was one of Daniel’s closest men.
Nilo and Tono are siblings whose family has historically operated within the framework of the Padín group. Marco, their young nephew, wished to join the gang, but his family wanted a different way for his life, which should be more legal. Things take a tragic turn when Marco’s girlfriend, Maria, is killed by Samuel during his rampage. Maria is the daughter of Laura Silva, which makes her and Marco members of rival families. Despite the feud, Marco and Maria were in love.
Laura loses her daughter because of Samuel’s actions. This turns Laura into someone who is even more revengeful than before. She successfully manages to turn the grieving Marco into someone willing to destroy the whole Padín clan, in turn helping Naranjo arrest them. Laura then shares this inside information with Officer Naranjo to take down the Padin family.
Despite knowing of Daniel’s criminal past, Ana still falls deeply in love with him and wants to be with him. She thinks that the drug trade as well as the murders have been mostly arranged by Padín Sr. and that Daniel reluctantly agreed to it.
In the end of “Gangs of Galicia,” Ana tries to save Daniel but does not succeed. Naranjo’s plan works out, which leads to all the drugs being confiscated and the entire gang, including Daniel, being arrested. Ana makes a desperate attempt to warn Daniel on the phone, but this goes against her as the police intercept it thereby linking her with the gang. Consequently, she becomes a fugitive and changes her appearance to hide from everyone.
At the end of the series, Ana visits Daniel in prison to inform him that she is pregnant with his child. Nonetheless, they can’t be together, and Ana has no choice but to start life anew under an alias so as to elude law enforcement agencies while raising her child alone. While Daniel faces legal punishment, Ana’s punishment is living a life on the run like her father did when he was alive during those difficult times.
