A pan-European anti-drug operation was concluded in Belgium and Spain, bringing down one of Europe’s most active Albanian-speaking cocaine trafficking networks.
Eurojust and Europol announced a series of actions in the two countries that saw 80 searches and some 45 arrests. They said these included high-target individuals involved in suspected crimes in multiple jurisdictions.
The suspects are accused of importing cocaine from South America to European ports and organising transport via plane, boat, car, and lorries. They are also believed to have organised the entire wholesale trade in various EU member states and then laundered the proceeds.
As well as stings taking place in Belgium and Spain, additional operations were enacted in Croatia, Germany, Italy, and the Netherlands.
The operation was coordinated between the two institutions involving various national police and “many months of meticulous planning between law enforcement and judicial authorities.
