The highest drug lords within the Western Balkans had been arrested following an investigation into encrypted telephones, Europol mentioned Thursday.
Europol mentioned in an announcement that on Could 11, coordinated raids had been carried out in Serbia and within the Netherlands to focus on a cartel’s management and distribution infrastructure.
“A complete of 23 people have been arrested, together with the three leaders of this prison group, thought of as Excessive Worth Targets by Europol,” mentioned the assertion.
Seven different members of this prison group had been already arrested in Belgium in 2021.
Two people had been beforehand arrested for different offenses in Serbia and Peru.
One other suspect was arrested within the Netherlands on Could 8.
Serbian authorities seized property to the tune of 5 million euros ($5.44 million).
Throughout the operations, 15 high-end vehicles and luxurious jewellery and watches had been seized in 35 home searches.
Additionally, police items captured weapons and explosives together with two sniper rifles, three computerized rifles, weapons, silencers, 24 detonator capsules and 5 gadgets for distant initiation of detonators, 13 packages of plastic explosives, and a number of other hundred items of ammunition.