An international cocaine network was shut down in a major operation involving Belgian authorities, according to the European Union's law enforcement agency, Europol, on Tuesday.
The organised crime group was led by an Italian family, which worked with suppliers in Colombia and chemists in Belgium.
The group would import large amounts of cocaine paste and ship it into European ports from Colombia. The product was stored in warehouses in Belgium, which were used as drug laboratories. The organisation was also involved in money laundering and heroin trafficking.
Images taken during the investigation into the cocaine criminal network. Credit: Europol
The law enforcement operation, which took place in April, resulted in 14 arrests – 11 in Belgium, two in Germany, and one in Italy.
Additionally, 780 kilograms of cocaine were seized, and an underground laboratory was dismantled. A total of 11 house searches took place in Italy and Belgium.
The joint investigation involved authorities from Belgium, Italy, Germany, and Switzerland. It further received the support of Europol and Eurojust.
