Europol said on Friday that an international operation across three countries has resulted in the takedown of the biggest drug trafficking criminal organization in the Balkan region.

A press release said that coordinated raids were carried out on May 11 in Serbia and the Netherlands targeting the cartel’s leadership and distribution infrastructure. “A total of 23 individuals have been arrested, including the 3 leaders of this criminal organisation, considered as High-Value Targets by Europol,” it said.

The press release specified that 13 people were arrested in Serbia with luxury cars, jewellery and other items worth 2 million Euro and 3 million Euro in cash seized as well as firearms, ammunition and explosives.

“This cross-border sting is the result of intelligence development in the framework of Europol’s Operational Taskforce looking into the usage of the encrypted communication platform Sky ECC… In cooperation with France, Belgium and the Netherlands, and with the support of Europol’s Drugs Unit, Serbia was able to identify the key targets on its territory, and map out their criminal activities across the world. This criminal organisation is believed to be behind multi-tonne cocaine shipments that made their way to Europe directly from Colombia, Brazil and Ecuador, or by transiting via logistical infrastructures in West Africa,” it said.