“Europol Busts Balkan Drug Smuggling Network and Arrests 23 Suspects”

The European police organization Europol has broken up a large drug smuggling network from the Balkans. Yesterday raids were carried out in Serbia and in the Netherlands. In Belgrade, the three suspected ringleaders were arrested.

A suspect was already arrested in the Netherlands on Monday. Europol has arrested a total of 23 suspected gang members.

35 house searches were carried out. In addition, 15 luxury cars and expensive watches were seized worth 2 million euros and another 3 million euros in cash. Heavy weapons and explosives were also found.

According to Europol the organization is behind large-scale imports of cocaine from Colombia, Brazil and Ecuador. 7000 kilos of coke intercepted in European ports in 2020 are believed to have come from the gang.

One of those arrested is said to be the former leader of the Serbian Pink Panthers, an internationally operating club of jewel thieves.