Drug smuggling operation eradicated by Europol, also involved German authorities.
Europol, the European Police Agency, shared news of a major cocaine trafficking operation's takedown in Europe. Through significant investigations across 10-15 countries, including Brazil and Turkey, they've apprehended 40 people. Most recently, four suspects were caught in Spain, according to the EU agency.
The organized group, dealing with "large-scale drug trafficking," was responsible for bringing illegal substances from places like South America to Germany by ship. After three years of dedicated efforts, Europol stated the entire network - with leaders residing in Turkey and the United Arab Emirates - has been broken up. This marks a significant victory against the notorious drug smuggling syndicate.
Europol revealed the last leg of the inquiry kicked off in August 2023 when the Spanish Guardia Civil discovered 700 kilograms of cocaine on a boat near the Canary Islands. This boat's team hailed from Croatia and Italy. Through meticulous analysis of communication data and collaboration with other law enforcement agencies, authorities could pinpoint the providers based in the Balkans.
The list of those taken into custody includes two senior members of the criminal enterprise from Croatia, who were detained in December of the previous year in Istanbul. The 40th suspect to be arrested was a 40-year-old man in Mijas on the southern Spanish coastline near Marbella. A reporter from the AFP news agency described the scene during the police raid, citing approximately a dozen well-armed officers from the Spanish Guardia Civil. In the early morning, they participated in this operation.
The smugglers had connections on three continents. The drugs were transported from South America to "warehouses in West Africa and on the Canary Islands." From there, they were distributed via distribution centers in Belgium, Croatia, Germany, Italy, and Spain. The result of the entire operation? About eight tons of cocaine were recovered by the authorities internationally, and assets totaling millions of euros were either seized or frozen.
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Despite the drug smuggling network's extensive connections in three continents, involving people from various countries, Europol and German authorities were able to dismantle it. Following the breakup, several key suspects, including two senior members from Croatia, were arrested and faced legal consequences in Germany.
