14 Cocaine Traffickers Arrested in Belgium and Italy

Europol has announced the successful arrest of 14 cocaine traffickers in a joint operation conducted in Belgium and Italy. The operation, which also included 11 house searches and the dismantling of a clandestine lab, was a collaborative effort involving authorities from Belgium, Germany, Italy, and Switzerland, as well as Eurojust.

During the operation that took place in April 2025, authorities were able to seize over 780 kg of cocaine and dismantle an underground laboratory. The criminal network, led by an Italian family, was engaged in importing large amounts of cocaine paste from Colombia to European ports, mainly in Belgium, where they processed the product in warehouses used as laboratories.

Europol played a crucial role in coordinating international cooperation among law enforcement authorities involved in the operation. The agency provided key intelligence to kick off the investigation, facilitated the exchange of information, and supported national investigators in identifying key targets and mapping the criminal activities of the organized crime group.

According to Europol, drug trafficking networks like the one dismantled in this operation have been identified as a growing threat that destabilizes society and undermines legal economies. The agency highlighted the importance of tackling drug trafficking strategically in the upcoming years to combat the increasingly sophisticated and dangerous criminal activities.