‘Super Cartel’ Controlling Third of Europe’s Cocaine Trade Sacked by Police

Europol and multiple law enforcement agencies across six countries in Europe and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have launched Operation Desert Light to take out one of the world’s largest cocaine suppliers.

according to press releaseEuropean Union law enforcement agency Europol eliminated 49 “supercartels” and seized more than 30 tons of drugs during Operation Desert Light. of which only six were considered “high-value targets”.

“A total of 49 suspects were arrested in the course of this investigation,” Europol said. “Drug pins, which Europol sees as high-value targets, have come together to form what is known as the ‘supercartel’, which controls about one-third of Europe’s cocaine trade. “

Published in Europol YouTube videos It shows a police officer and a dog searching a house filled with fancy sports cars, a swimming pool, and piles of unopened iPhones.

Nearly all drug enforcement agencies were called. The Spanish Guardia Civil took part in the large-scale operation. French national police. Belgian Federal Judicial Police Brussels and Federal Judicial Police Antwerp. Dutch National Police National Criminal Investigation Unit and Police Force Rotterdam. UAE Ministry of Interior and Dubai Police. and the US DEA.

“These arrests are supported by Europol for the activities of this prolific criminal network involved in large-scale drug trafficking and money laundering in Spain, France, Belgium, the Netherlands and the United Arab Emirates. It is the culmination of parallel studies conducted

“The scale of cocaine imported into Europe under the suspect’s control and orders was enormous, with over 30 tons of drugs seized by law enforcement during the course of the investigation.”

Vise report Dutch-Bosnian trafficker Edin Gakanin, 40, aka “Tito,” is said to be one of Europe’s 50 largest cocaine traffickers, according to a leaked DEA. reportTito was a suspected drug lord who was allegedly linked to high-profile Dutch crime boss Lidouan Taghi, who was also arrested in Dubai in 2019 and is currently on trial. Dutch-Moroccan Zouhair Lamchachti, 39, aka “Beertje,” was also arrested as a high-value target.

This tactic needs some tweaking. Last September, Europol and the UAE Ministry of Interior worked together.they signed Liaison Officer ContractThis made it possible to send a UAE law enforcement liaison officer to Europol headquarters in the Netherlands, the report explains.

Europol said it has been planning to dismantle the supercartel for two years.

In Europe, data show that over the past decade, access to cocaine in Europe was increase year by yearaccording to the European Drug Surveillance Center and the European Drugs Report on Drug Addiction.”Overall, the indicators suggest that the availability and use of cocaine in Europe remains high by historical standards.” “A record 213 tonnes of cocaine were seized in 2020. An increase in the number of cocaine labs torn down in 2020, raw materials and related chemicals imported from South America,” the analyst wrote. The seizure of the substance marks a large scale cocaine processing in Europe.

Cocaine is also a problem in the United States, especially when corrupt law enforcement is involved. Last month, an off-duty Pentagon police officer arrested him for at least 2.5 kilos of cocaine. In that case, the Arlington County Police Department charged the officer with his two counts of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances while armed.

read europol publication For more information on the police approach to Operation Desert Light, visit