Spanish police revealed on Friday the dismantling of a significant network responsible for transporting Latin American cocaine into Europe via boat, as part of an international operation that led to 50 arrests across eight countries. The investigation, initiated by Spanish and British police in June 2020, rapidly grew to involve law enforcement from 11 countries, supported by Europol, Europe's law enforcement agency, according to a Spanish police statement.
In total, the authorities seized 1.5 tonnes of cocaine and impounded eight vessels used to transport the drugs from Latin American and Caribbean nations to Spain. The cocaine was shipped from locations in Brazil, Colombia, Guayana, Trinidad and Tobago, Santa Lucia, Barbados, and Panama to Spanish ports in the Canary Islands, Andalusia, and Valencia. The leader of the network, arrested in Norway, is a seasoned drug trafficker known as "The Professor," who has over 20 years of experience in the drug trade and has earned the trust of Colombian and Mexican drug cartels.
The network also comprised members of the so-called "Balkans' cartel" who were enjoying a luxurious lifestyle in Spain's Costa del Sol. Additionally, the criminal organization sought the blessings of a santero, a witchdoctor, to ensure the success of their cocaine smuggling operations between Latin America and Europe. This practice is integral to Santeria, an Afro-Cuban religious system popular in Latin America.
Among the detainees, 26 were arrested in Spain, including 16 Norwegians, one of whom was a former bank robber known for targeting armored cash-in-transit vehicles and had served 15 years for violent crimes. The remaining 24 suspects were apprehended in Bulgaria, Colombia, Norway, Panama, Portugal, Trinidad and Tobago, and the UK. Most arrests occurred on June 24, according to Europol. In Spain, a major entry point for Latin American cocaine into Europe, police frequently conduct raids against drug smugglers, with the most recent major operation in June resulting in the seizure of eight tonnes of cocaine and 40 arrests.
