A crime ring smuggling drugs into Europe has collapsed as a result of a three-year investigation.
According to Europol, the investigation resulted in 40 arrests and the seizure of 8,000 kilograms of cocaine.
The Hague-based European police force said the entire cartel, whose leaders were based in Türkiye and Dubai, had been dealt a major blow after a final set of arrests that were made on Wednesday, local time.
The operation involved police forces from a dozen countries, ranging from Brazil to Spain via Türkiye.
According to Europol, the final phase of the operation began in August 2023 after the Spanish Guardia Civil uncovered 700 kilos of cocaine in a boat off the Canary Islands, crewed by Croat and Italian citizens.
After exchanging their findings with other police forces, the investigators found links with previous seizures which led to the identification of the crime ring.
In total, 40 people were arrested across six countries, including two top Croatians members of the network who were arrested at the end of 2023 in Istanbul, police said.
The last four arrests took place on Wednesday in Spain, according to Europol.
The smugglers shipped cocaine from South America to logistical hubs in west Africa and the Canary Islands.
The drugs were then sent on to centres in Belgium, Croatia, Germany, Italy and Spain for distribution across Europe.
Many of the drug network’s assets, with a total value of several tens of millions of euros, had been seized or frozen, Europol added.
AFP