Europol has announced that it has completed an operation that uncovered a major drug smuggling ring from South America to Europe. Croatian police were also involved, as the drug warehouses were reportedly also located in Croatia.

Investigators worked on this case for three years and the entire operation was coordinated by Europol. In the end, another cocaine cartel was dismantled, through which tonnes of cocaine from Colombia, Brazil and Ecuador entered the European Union.

Channel to Europe

The suspects organised the drug smuggling by sea via centres in West Africa and the Canary Islands. When the drugs arrived on European soil, they were distributed via criminal centres in Belgium, Croatia, Germany, Italy and Spain.

The leaders of this group were temporarily based in Turkey and Dubai. Although it has not been officially confirmed, it is known that Nenad Petrak, the Croatian drug lord who was recently extradited and is awaiting trial in Split, was arrested in Turkey.

N1 has received unofficial information that he is one of the suspects.

Europol confirms that it coordinated the operation in August 2023, when Spanish police intercepted a ship with 700 kilogrammes of cocaine on board. The ship had an Italian-Croatian crew. Previously, almost a tonne of cocaine was seized in the Canary Islands in the operation codenamed Falkusa, which was initiated by the Croatian police.

How many people were arrested?

At the end of the operation in Spain, four more people were arrested and luxury watches, weapons, money and other evidence were seized.

In total, 40 people from this clan were deprived of their freedom and eight tonnes of cocaine were confiscated. The assets worth around 12.5 million euros have been frozen in Brazil and a further 50 million euros in Serbia.

Encrypted communications were also found that shed light on who played a role in this smuggling channel.