International crackdown seizes 8 tons of cocaine, 47 arrests made

The Spanish Guardia Civil, in cooperation with Europol, has apprehended a group of cocaine smugglers. The criminals were transporting drugs from South America to Europe via the Canary Islands and West Africa. In total, the authorities seized eight tons of cocaine and several million euros.

Drug smugglers always find ways to transport illegal substances to their customers. Unfortunately for them, authorities worldwide work tirelessly to stop the trade and apprehend those committing these crimes. Often, officers from different countries join forces to dismantle smuggling networks collectively.

On June 13, 2024, Europol announced the operation's significant success. Together with the Guardia Civil, they apprehended suspects smuggling cocaine from Colombia, Brazil, and Ecuador to the European Union. The drugs entered the union through West Africa and the Canary Islands. Once on the European continent, the cocaine was dispatched to processing centers in Belgium, Croatia, Germany, Italy, and Spain, from where it was distributed throughout the EU.

The leaders of the criminal organization were operating from Turkey and Dubai and were believed to originate from the Balkans. This operation is connected to an arrest made in August 2023, when Spanish Guardia Civil officers detained a ship carrying 1,540 pounds of cocaine. Analysis of the boat's crew's data revealed the criminals had previously smuggled approximately 1,100 pounds of cocaine from Brazil to Spain using the same ship.

The international investigation began in September 2020 and lasted nearly four years. During this period, authorities apprehended 40 individuals, confiscated eight tons of cocaine, and seized 13.4 million dollars in cash in various European countries and 3 million dollars in Brazil. They also froze 53.6 million dollars in Serbia. A Balkan cartel led the smuggling operation. The courts will decide the fate of the smugglers.