The post From Colombia “to the world”! They capture 11 who would be related to cocaine shipments to Croatia appeared first on Minuto30.
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Minuto30.com .- In the last few hours, the European authorities made public the capture of eleven people who would be related to large shipments of cocaine from South America to the European Union. There were at least 18 people involved in the operation.
Cocaine traffickers used different maritime routes and modus operandi and would be related to the seizure of more than half a ton of cocaine, in the port of Ploče, in southern Croatia, at the end of March 2021, valued at 50 million euros .
The drugs were hidden in the floor of a modified cargo container. This seizure is further indication that international drug trafficking organizations are increasingly targeting the EU’s smaller ports.
One million euros in cash and 18 people investigated
On November 26, 2024, law enforcement authorities detained 11 suspects (2 in Bosnia and Herzegovina, 1 in Croatia and 8 in Serbia); one of them would be a ringleader of the gang. During the house searches, the agents seized weapons and a large amount of ammunition, as well as several high-value vehicles, watches and more than one million euros in cash. Four other people investigated for belonging to this network are already in prison. Three more have been issued with international arrest warrants.
The criminal network bribed several corrupt customs officials to avoid police and customs controls during the logistical phase of the export; one of them was arrested during the operation.
Photo: Europol
The other detainees were members of the criminal network who performed different functions in the organization. Some of them ran different criminal cells, while others financed the activities or coordinated and organized the logistics.
A high-value target detained in Serbia was already wanted by an EU Member State, as he was involved in the theft of one million euros as part of the famous Pink Panther criminal group. Both the robbery and his escape from prison after his conviction date back to the early 2000s.
Intelligence news after the dismantling of Sky ECC
This investigation is a continuation of a previous operation against a connected criminal network. These cross-border operations are the result of intelligence developments following the March 2021 dismantling of the Sky ECC encrypted communications platform.
In cooperation with France, Belgium and the Netherlands, and with the support of Europol’s Drugs Unit, Serbia was able to identify key targets on its territory and map its criminal activities around the world. This criminal organization is presumed to be linked to a large-scale criminal network that imports multi-ton shipments of cocaine from Colombia through Brazil and Ecuador.
Europol Operational Working Group
The recent takedown of three encrypted communication tools used by criminals (EncroChat, Sky ECC and Anom) revealed the prevalence of Balkan criminals in the global cocaine trade and related organized criminal activities.
Photo: Europol
Europol responded to this threat by creating an operational task force, made up of countries inside and outside the EU, to effectively combat the threat emanating from criminal networks with links to this region. This operation is the result of joint work between authorities from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia and Serbia that is underway…
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The post From Colombia “to the world”! They capture 11 who would be related to cocaine shipments to Croatia appeared first on Minuto30.
2024-12-04 01:28:00
#Colombia #world #capture #related #cocaine #shipments #Croatia
How does the interconnected nature of organized crime, as highlighted by this bust, pose challenges to law enforcement?
## Interview with Drug Enforcement Expert
**Host:** Welcome back to the show. Today, we’re discussing a major bust by European authorities targeting a cocaine trafficking ring with links to South America. Joining me to shed more light on this operation is [Guest Name], a leading expert on international drug enforcement. Thanks for being here.
**Guest:** Thank you for having me.
**Host:** This operation seems to have been quite complex, involving multiple countries and a significant amount of cocaine. Can you tell us more about the scope of this network?
**Guest:** This was indeed a large-scale operation. Eleven suspects were arrested in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, and Serbia, with at least 18 people believed to be involved in total. They were tied to a massive seizure in Croatia back in 2021, where over half a ton of cocaine worth 50 million euros was found hidden in a cargo container [[2]]. This bust clearly shows how these international trafficking organizations are increasingly targeting smaller ports across Europe.
**Host:** With so many countries involved, how were authorities able to coordinate their efforts?
**Guest:** This operation builds on intelligence gathered after a previous operation that targeted a connected network. We’re seeing more and more cross-border collaborations[ [2]], which are crucial to dismantling these complex smuggling operations.
**Host:** The report mentions that the network used various tactics to evade detection. What are some common techniques used by drug traffickers, and how do authorities work to counter them?
**Guest:** These traffickers were sophisticated. They utilized different maritime routes and methods to smuggle the cocaine. They also bribed corrupt customs officials to avoid detection [[2]]. Law enforcement agencies are constantly adapting by sharing intelligence, deploying new surveillance technologies, and strengthening partnerships with other countries.
**Host:** This bust included the seizure of weapons, ammunition, luxury vehicles, and over one million euros in cash. It seems this network was involved in other criminal activities. Can you elaborate on that?
**Guest:** Absolutely. One of the arrested suspects was even wanted by an EU Member State for his involvement in the Pink Panther criminal group, notorious for high-profile robberies[ [2]]. This highlights the often-interconnected nature of organized crime and the need for a multi-pronged approach to tackling these networks.
**Host:** Thank you for your insights, [Guest Name]. This operation is a significant blow to this drug trafficking ring, but it also highlights the ongoing challenges faced by law enforcement agencies in the fight against international drug trafficking.