The European Union’s law enforcement agency, Europol, has reported the seizure of over 780 kilograms of cocaine and the arrest of 14 individuals across Belgium, Germany, and Italy in a large-scale international operation.
The operation, which was conducted in April 2025, involved close cooperation between the authorities of Belgium, Germany, Italy, and Switzerland, alongside Eurojust, the EU’s judicial cooperation agency.
Arrests and Raids Across Europe
According to Europol, 11 suspects were apprehended in Belgium, two in Germany, and one in Italy. The operation also included searches of 11 properties and the discovery of an underground laboratory used for drug processing.
Transcontinental Criminal Network Led by Italian Family
The criminal network was allegedly led by an Italian family, which maintained direct connections with cocaine suppliers in Colombia and chemists in Belgium. This group also engaged in heroin trafficking and money laundering, authorities stated.
Investigators revealed that the organization imported large quantities of cocaine paste from Colombia, shipping it to European ports. Once in the EU, the narcotics were stored and processed in Belgian facilities, repurposed as synthesis laboratories.
“This was a well-structured, international trafficking operation with multiple layers, spanning across several countries,” Europol emphasized in its official release.
