Eurojust Operation Dismantles Drug Gang In 5 Countries

Spanish authorities have raid several residences across the country as part of an international operaton in five countries to dismantle a major European drug trafficking operation which resulted in 16 arrests.

Spanish police officers breaking into one of the houses used by the drug trafficking gang during the police operation.
(Newsflash)

The arrests were done during an international operation between the Spanish National Police, the Belgian and Dutch authorities and coordinated by Eurojust.

Eurojust is a European Union agency which deals with judicial cooperation among agencies in member states.

The suspects are all aged between 25 and 68 but have not been named.

Authorities suspect the group smuggled cocaine through Spanish ports by camouflaging it in fruit containers which were then distributed to other European countries, mainly Holland.

The Spanish National Police conducted 17 raids around the Malaga and Alicante provinces located in the southern autonomous community of Andalusia which lead to eight of the arrests on 16th September (Wednesday).

The video shows the moment cops conduct the raids and display several luxury items such as cars, jewellery and decorative items after entering the large homes.

Some equipment associated with drug trafficking is also seen, such as Dallas scales and vacuums for packaging.

According to a Spanish Police report, the operation was “simultaneously” carried out in “different locations in Spain as well as Holland, Belgium, Hungary and Slovakia” and included “almost 1,000 officers” who found “narcotics, weapons and cash”.

The report added: “In the operation, agents seized EUR 70,000 (GBP 63.932) in cash and jewellery valued at EUR 400,000 (GBP 365,294 ) as well as 22 vehicles, three motorcycles and one boat valued at EUR 3.6 million (GBP 3.2 million).

“In addition, five simulated small-arm weapons, several magazines and a bulletproof vest have been seized.”

Dutch police have asked “Spanish and Belgian authorities to hand over the detained” according to that same report, however, did not mention why.

Although none of the people that were arrested have been identified, a police spokesman told Newsflash “most of them are Dutch.”

The suspects have been placed under the custody of the Central Instruction Court three “which has been studying the case in secret since 2017.”

They are suspected of drug trafficking and money laundering within a criminal organization.