UK(Washington Insider Magazine) -Have you heard about the ongoing UK cocaine scandal? Countries all across Europe are experiencing a record-breaking amount of cocaine being imported and trafficked across the continent, resulting in even more cocaine bust events. According to the European Union crime agency, members of a drug cartel responsible for leading one-third of the cocaine market in Europe were detained this week.
49 suspects have been detained since the beginning of the investigation of Operation Desert Light which focuses on the management of drug trafficking in Europe. The latest bust took place all across Europe and the United Arab Emirates between November 8 – 19.
With the support of Europol, a minimum of 3 metric tons of drugs were seized during the investigation of several European countries which included Spain, France, Belgium, and the Netherlands. Europol assists national law enforcement in the fight against international crime and terrorism.
How is the cartel being apprehended in this cocaine bust?
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration also aided in bringing in the UK cocaine cartel responsible for the spread across Europe and the UAE. Europol intercepted the organization’s encrypted transmissions which were used to manage drug shipments in and out of the continent.
How was the cocaine bust executed?
Police gained access to the encrypted messages of the popular messaging service SKY ECC, which led them to a Dutch-Bosnian citizen suspected of importing cocaine and other raw materials for amphetamines production.
He and six other highly targeted suspects were found and arrested in Dubai for their ties to the drug cartel. Out of the six suspects taken into custody, a man of Dutch and Moroccan nationality was responsible for importing several thousand kilos of cocaine into the Netherlands in 2020 and 2021. He is now facing charges for firearm possession and large amounts of money laundering.
The majority of the arrests made during the investigation and subsequent cocaine bust occurred in the Netherlands with 14 suspects linked to the UK cocaine scandal captured and taken into custody.
High amounts of cocaine were seized all across Europe, which significantly increased by 6% from the previous year. The drug cartel has made accessing pure and affordable cocaine available across the continent. Experts from the European Monitoring Center for Drugs and Drug Addiction suspect this number to rise to 300 metric tons in 2022.
