Authorities also carried out 11 house searches and dismantled a clandestine lab

Published on: 27 May 2025

Europol has supported a large-scale investigation against a transcontinental criminal network trafficking large amounts of cocaine from South America to Europe. The operation involved authorities from Belgium, Germany, Italy and Switzerland, as well as Eurojust.

The operation took place in April 2025 and led to:

• 14 arrests (11 in Belgium, 2 in Germany, 1 in Italy)
• 11 house searches in Belgium and Italy
• The seizure of over 780 kg of cocaine
• The dismantlement of an underground laboratory

Cocaine paste shipped from Colombia to the EU

In the framework of intelligence activities underway with its operational counterparts in the framework of the SKY ECC investigation, Europol developed reliable intelligence concerning the international drug trafficking activities of this organised crime group operating in several countries in Europe.

The gang was led by an Italian family in contact with suppliers in Colombia and chemists in Belgium. They imported huge amounts of cocaine paste, shipped from Colombia to European ports. Once in the European Union, they stored the product in warehouses in Belgium, which were used as laboratories for the synthesis process. The criminal organisation was also engaged in heroin trafficking and money laundering.

Crucial cooperation led by Europol

International cooperation was key in this case against organised crime and drug trafficking. Europol coordinated the different law enforcement authorities involved in the operation and provided the key intelligence to the Belgian authorities to kick off the investigation. 

Europol’s analysts played a central role, facilitating the exchange of information and providing analytical support to national investigators, which helped identify the key targets and map the full spectrum of their criminal activities.

Eurojust set up a joint investigation team between the Belgian and Italian authorities to ensure critical information for the Belgian investigation was shared by their Italian counterparts.

Authorities involved in the investigation:

• Belgium: Federal Judicial Police (Police Judiciaire Fedérale du Brabant Wallon)
• Italy: Carabinieri (Carabinieri – Borgo San Lorenzo Unit)
• Germany: BKA
• Switzerland: Federal Police (fedpol)
• Europol
• Eurojust

The investigation and the Action Day itself have been supported by the @ON Network funded by the EU (Project ISF4@ON) led by the Italian Antimafia Investigation Directorate (DIA).

Drug trafficking networks destabilise society

As Europol already flagged in the 2025 EU Serious and Organised Crime Threat Assessment (EU-SOCTA), the threat posed by drug trafficking networks has increased over the past years and will continue to do so in the future. By using tools like money laundering, like in this case, drug trafficking networks destabilise society and undermine legal economies and trust in institutions.

That’s why Europol identified drug trafficking as one of the fastest-growing threats, where criminals are becoming more sophisticated and dangerous, and will tackle it strategically in the upcoming years.  

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