A long-running international investigation has culminated in the dismantling of a large-scale drug trafficking network smuggling cocaine from South America into the European Union. The operation, spanning Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, and Serbia, resulted in multiple arrests and significant seizures.

The criminal network was involved in trafficking cocaine using various maritime routes, connecting them to the seizure of over half a tonne of cocaine in March 2021 at the port of Ploče in southern Croatia. The cocaine, worth an estimated €50 million, was hidden in a modified cargo container floor, revealing an increasing trend of targeting smaller EU ports by international drug trafficking organizations.

Cash, weapons, and luxury goods seized

The coordinated action took place on November 26, 2024, leading to the arrest of 11 suspects – two in Bosnia and Herzegovina, one in Croatia, and eight in Serbia. Among those arrested was a high-value target. During searches, authorities seized a significant amount of ammunition, weapons, expensive vehicles, luxury watches, and over €1 million in cash.

Four additional individuals connected to the network were already in prison, while International Arrest Warrants have been issued for three others. The criminal network relied on bribing corrupt customs officers to bypass customs and police checks during the drug export phase. One corrupt customs officer was arrested as part of the operation.

The arrested individuals held various roles within the network: some were leaders of different cells, while others coordinated logistics or financed the group's activities. Notably, one high-value suspect arrested in Serbia was previously wanted by an EU Member State for involvement in a million-euro theft as part of the notorious Pink Panther group. Both the theft and his escape from prison date back to the early 2000s.

Investigation linked to Sky ECC takedown

This investigation follows a previous operation against a related criminal network. It was made possible thanks to intelligence developments following the takedown of the encrypted communications platform Sky ECC in March 2021. In cooperation with authorities in France, Belgium, and the Netherlands, and supported by Europol's Drugs Unit, Serbia identified key figures of the network and mapped their global criminal activities. The group is believed to be linked to a large-scale network importing multi-tonne shipments of cocaine from Colombia through Brazil and Ecuador.

Ongoing efforts to combat organized crime

The recent takedown of three encrypted communication tools commonly used by criminals – EncroChat, Sky ECC, and Anom – has highlighted the extensive role of Balkan criminals in the global cocaine trade. Europol responded by forming an Operational Taskforce, comprising member countries both inside and outside the EU, to combat the threat posed by criminal networks linked to this region. The recent action is part of this ongoing effort.