Europe's biggest cocaine cartel busted in transcontinental raids: report

Drug cartel that controlled one-third of cocaine trade in Europe has been busted. The latest series of raids across Europe and the United Arab Emirates took place between November 8-19.

As many as 49 people were arrested in raids. The super-cartel as per EU police agency Europol was operational in various countries including Dubai, France, Spain, Belgium, the Netherlands.

EU police agency said that over 30 tonnes of cocaine has been seized in the international drug operation.

The drugpins have been the probe agency's high value targets given their super cartel's control over one-third of Europe's cocaine's trade.

Among the arrested indiviudals, Europol said two suspects held from Dubai raids are linked to The Netherlands while two others are linked to Spain and France each.

Europol sources also told AFP that one of the Dutch suspects was "an extremely big fish". Even in the years 2020 and 2021, the man was held for allegedly importing thousands of kilos of cocaine into the Netherlands.

The Netherlands was the country where most of the arrests were made, with 14 suspects arrested in 2021. Europol said six “high-value targets" were arrested in Dubai.

Record amounts of cocaine are being seized in Europe. Its availability on the continent has never been higher, with extremely high purity and low prices.

More than 214 tons of cocaine were seized in the region in 2020, a 6 per cent increase from the previous year, and experts from the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction believe that amount could reach 300 tons in 2022.

(With input from PTI and AP)

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