Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Lebanese Ministry of Health: Two people, including a soldier, were injured in an Israeli airstrike near the town of Beit Yahoun, Bint Jbeil District, in South Lebanon
Araghchi: Iran is committed to diplomacy and expects the lifting of unjust and unilateral sanctions that directly target its people
Araghchi: We want a fair and balanced agreement reached within the framework of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty with full respect for Iran's nuclear rights
Araghchi: Iran has always sought to alleviate legitimate international concerns about its nuclear program through transparency
Araghchi: Iran is committed to the principle of not producing or deploying weapons of mass destruction
Araghchi: Iran is committed to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and has never sought to possess nuclear weapons based on its principles
Araghchi: Iran has always emphasized that it does not seek nuclear weapons, and we call for a fair and just agreement that guarantees our national interests and lifts sanctions
Araghchi: We call for a referendum in Palestine so that the Palestinians can decide their fate
Araghchi: The Zionist entity is a threat to the countries of the region, and a real solution must be reached
Araghchi: Iran wishes nothing but good, progress, and development for its neighboring countries, and we must expand economic and structural projects with them

'Super-cartel' controlling a third of Europe's cocaine trade busted

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 28 Nov 2022 15:15
2 Min Read

Europol announces taking down an international cocaine cartel transporting the drug from South America to Europe

  • x
  • Photos released by the Europol on the operation.
    Photos released by the Europol on the operation.

Europol announced on Monday that a large-scale international police operation took down a "super-cartel" that was responsible for more than 30 percent of the cocaine trade in Europe, seizing around 30 tonnes of the narcotic.

According to a statement released by the EU's police agency, 49 individuals were apprehended in several countries such as Belgium, France, Spain, and the Netherlands, including six main suspects in Dubai, and the cartel was aimed at operations transporting the drug from South America to Europe through Antwerp and Rotterdam ports.

Infograph: NATO base busted for manufacturing ecstasy

"The drug pins, considered as high-value targets by Europol, had come together to form what was known as a 'super cartel' which controlled around one-third of the cocaine trade in Europe," the Europol statement said.

Related News

Flydubai airline preparing for resumption of flights to Syria

UAE hides weapons behind aid to fuel conflict in Sudan: NYT

The operation also brought down an "extremely big fish" based in Dubai and originally from the Netherlands. 

"The scale of cocaine importation into Europe under the suspects' control and command was massive and over 30 tonnes of drugs were seized by law enforcement over the course of the investigations," added the statement, noting that Dubai law enforcement arrested two "high-value" targets that are linked to France, two to Spain while the remaining two were linked to the Netherlands.

Read more: Hong Kong seizes $140 million worth of meth hidden in coconut water

Europol also stated that six people linked to the cartel were arrested in France, while ten were apprehended in Belgium and thirteen in Spain.

The European organization also highlighted that in 2021, 14 individuals were arrested in the Netherlands as part of the same operation, adding that the current busts come in the series of efforts to combat drug trafficking, the latest being after police were able to hack encrypted mobile platform (SKY ECC) last year, which was used by organized crime groups in Europe.

Read more: 500kg of cocaine seized at Swiss Nespresso factory

  • Dubai
  • Spain
  • Netherlands
  • drug cartel
  • drug trafficking
  • US
  • cocaine
  • US DEA
  • EU
  • France
  • Belgium
  • European Union

Most Read

Two F-35 jets arrive at it's new operational base Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2015, at Hill Air Force Base, in northern Utah. (AP)

F-35 near-misses over Yemen signal new risks for 'Israel': Forbes

  • Politics
  • 14 May 2025
Palestinians pray over bodies of people killed in the Israeli bombardment who were brought from the Shifa hospital before burying them in a mass grave in the town of Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, Wednesday, Nov. 22, 2023. (AP )

Gaza casualty figures mask a much bigger horror, new study shows

  • Politics
  • 11 May 2025
Abu Obaida

Abu Obeida posts shortly after Israeli reports about his assassination

  • Palestine
  • 15 May 2025
Gaza and the logic of necropolitics: Sovereignty measured by killing

Gaza and the logic of necropolitics: Sovereignty measured by killing

  • Politics
  • 15 May 2025

Coverage

All
Gaza prevails against genocide

Read Next

All
A Microsoft sign and logo are pictured at the company's headquarters, Friday, April 4, 2025, in Redmond, Wash. (AP)
Technology

Microsoft admits supplying AI to 'Israel' amid Gaza carnage

Israeli occupation’s tanks parked in a staging area near the border with Gaza, Friday, May 16, 2025. (AP)
Politics

'Israel' launches multi-axis assault in Gaza under 'Gideon’s Chariots'

People stand at the train ticket counter of NJ Transit at Penn Station, amid a strike by New Jersey Transit train engineers, in New York, Friday, May 16, 2025. (AP)
Economy

Commuters stranded amid first New Jersey railway strike in 40 years

Trump's tax bill stalls as Republican opposition demands deeper cuts
US & Canada

Trump's tax bill stalls as Republican opposition demands deeper cuts

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS