Police raids across Europe attack ‘high-risk’ criminal groups
Police investigating drug trafficking and money laundering have arrested 44 suspects in 10 countries considered one of Europe’s most dangerous criminal networks, Europol said on Friday.
The raids in several European countries on Tuesday targeted criminal organizations operating in the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and the Slovak Republic, the statement said.
“The arrested individual was suspected of belonging to a high-risk criminal network considered one of the most dangerous networks in the European Union,” Europol added.
Police have arrested suspects in the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, the Slovak Republic, Spain and the United States, Europol and Eurojust, which coordinate such international activities, said. .
“The drug trafficking attributed to this criminal network alone is large, with activity reported across three continents,” the joint statement said.
Police seized large quantities of drugs including cocaine, hashish, cannabis and methamphetamine, and investigators believed the criminal group was linked to drug traffickers outside Europe, he added.
“Very flexible, these criminals will quickly adapt to new drug trafficking methods to evade law enforcement,” the statement said.
“Medicine shipments have been found especially on ships and trucks, often hidden in sophisticated concealed compartments.”
Investigators found that several criminal gangs worked together to carry out large-scale operations inside and outside the European Union, including drug trafficking, money laundering and illegal enrichment.
“Criminal networks are structured like businesses, with various criminal groups and brokers working together across borders to control the entire drug trafficking chain. up to distribution beyond that,” the statement said.
European police agencies Europol and Eurojust coordinated the investigation early on.
https://www.expatica.com/nl/general/police-raids-across-europe-hit-high-risk-crime-group-418783/ Police raids across Europe attack ‘high-risk’ criminal groups