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According to Europol, each of the members of the organization took on a different role within the drug trafficking chain. Meanwhile, the Albanians in Dubai mainly played the role of investors, where according to investigations they had the finances to buy up to 1 ton of cocaine per week.
The European police organization for the fight against crime "Europol", in cooperation with Spanish authorities, destroyed a vast drug trafficking network by seizing 6 tons of cocaine and 6 million euros.
In the investigation launched on June 20, 2022, in countries such as Bulgaria, Colombia, Costa Rica and Panama, it was discovered that the network was composed of citizens from Albania, Bulgaria, Colombia and Spain, who organized the trafficking of large quantities of cocaine from Latin America towards Europe, mainly in the ports of Spain.
According to Europol, each of the members of the organization took on a different role within the drug trafficking chain. Meanwhile, the Albanians in Dubai mainly played the role of investors, where according to investigations they had the finances to buy up to 1 ton of cocaine per week.
“The investigation launched in June 2022 uncovered this drug trafficking network operating on three continents. The members of the network – citizens from Albania, Bulgaria, Colombia and Spain – organized the trafficking of large quantities of cocaine from the country of origin to Europe.
...Other Albanian members, based in Dubai, acted as investors – they provided the necessary finances to pay the producers for shipments from Colombia. Members of the network also laundered the proceeds of their crimes. Intelligence suggests that the criminal network had the capacity to receive up to one ton of cocaine per week. The shipments were carried out via air cargo and sea containers ,” Europol said in a statement.
Police investigations, according to Europol, have revealed that members of the network hid in a container to secretly enter the port and, with the help of corrupt workers, smuggled out the cocaine at night.
In October 2024, authorities seized 4.1 tons of cocaine in Panama, bound for Spain, in connection with this network.
According to Europol, the network is suspected of being linked to cocaine seizures totaling around six tonnes. Law enforcement authorities have also seized two tonnes of cocaine in Spain since the investigation began.
"In October 2024, authorities seized 4.1 tonnes of cocaine in Panama, bound for Spain, in connection with this network. The network is suspected of being linked to cocaine seizures totalling over seven tonnes. Law enforcement authorities had also seized two tonnes of cocaine in Spain since the start of the investigation ," Europol reports.
In the results of the action, carried out in three phases, between December 2024 and January 2025, Europol says that 22 arrests were made in Spain as well as 27 house raids.
Europol says that in addition to the drug quantities, it seized 6.5 million euros in cash, 35 vehicles, including 8 luxury cars (valued at around 2.5 million euros), luxury watches and jewelry (valued at around 1.5 million euros), 48 weapons, and 53 frozen bank accounts.
According to Europol, the increase in cocaine shipments from South America to Europe, as well as the penetration of criminal networks into legal and illegal businesses in the European Union, prompted the creation of an Operational Task Force at Europol.
Europol said it coordinated the exchange of information between national authorities during the investigation, bringing them together to efficiently target the entire drug trafficking network.
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