European Police (Europol) and the Euro -Judicial Cooperation Agency said on Friday that an international operation took place with the participation of the powers of 11 countries that resulted in the arrest of 44 people suspected of belonging to one of the largest criminal networks in the European Union.
“Several criminal organizations were working together to implement multiple criminal activities on and outside the European Union,” the two European agencies, based in The Hague, said in the Hague, including drug smuggling and money laundering.
During the operation that took place on Tuesday, in coordination of Europol and Eurozst, about 100 inspections and raids took place throughout Europe targeting the heads of these criminal organizations and their partners.
The network, which is also believed to be linked to major drug smuggling organizations outside the European Union, was active in Lithuania, Latvia, the Czech Republic, Poland, France, Germany and Slovakia.
“The volume of drug smuggling attributed to the network is enormous, as activities were reported on three continents,” said Europol Wujist.
During the operation, large quantities of cocaine, cannabis, hemp, and metamphine vitamin were seized.
Al -Wakalatan said that the criminal network was “very flexible. Criminals quickly adapted to new methods of drug trafficking in an attempt to evade the application of the law. ”
In particular, drug shipments were found in ships and trucks, well hidden in cabin.
“The criminal network has been organized to operate like a company, with different criminal groups and mediators working together across the border to control the entire drug smuggling chain – from organizing huge drug shipments to distribution throughout Europe and abroad,” said Europol Wujest.
They explained that cooperation between countries and the two European agencies made it possible to adopt a joint strategy to prepare for the final stage of investigations and “drop the entire network.
“.
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