‘Super cartel’ controlling a third of Europe’s cocaine trade looted by police

Europol and multiple law enforcement agencies spanning six countries in Europe and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have launched Operation Desert Light, taking out one of the world’s largest suppliers of cocaine.

According to a press release, Europol, the European Union’s law enforcement agency, took out a 49-strong “super cartel” and seized over 30 tons of drugs during Operation Desert Light. Police say the cartel was run by six major drug lords – the only ones considered “high value targets” – in Dubai with 43 junior operatives.

“A total of 49 suspects were arrested in the course of these investigations,” Europol said. “The drug pins, considered high-level targets by Europol, had formed a so-called ‘super cartel’ that controlled about a third of the cocaine trade in Europe.”

Europol posted a YouTube video showing police agents and dogs searching homes full of luxury sports cars, pools and stacks of unopened iPhones.

Almost every drug enforcement agency in the area was called in: the massive operation brought the Spanish Guardia Civil into play; France’s Police Nationale; Belgium’s Federal Criminal Police in Brussels and Federal Criminal Police in Antwerp; the National Criminal Investigation Department of the Netherlands and the Rotterdam Police Unit; UAE Ministry of Interior and Dubai Police; and the DEA from the United States.

“These arrests are the culmination of parallel investigations carried out in Spain, France, Belgium, the Netherlands and the United Arab Emirates, with the support of Europol, into the activities of this prolific criminal network involved in large-scale drug trafficking and money laundering.”

“The scale of cocaine imports into Europe under the suspects’ control and command was enormous and over 30 tonnes of drugs were seized by law enforcement in the course of the investigation.”

Vice reports that a Dutch-Bosnian smuggler, Edin Gacanin, 40, aka “Tito”, is alleged to be one of the 50 biggest cocaine smugglers in Europe, according to a leaked DEA report. Tito was a “big fish” suspected drug lord with alleged ties to high-profile Dutch crime boss Ridouan Taghi, who was also arrested in Dubai in 2019 and is currently on trial. Zouhair Lamchachti, 39, aka “Beertje”, who is both Dutch and Moroccan, was also arrested as a high profile target.

The operation requires a bit of coordination: Last September, Europol and the Interior Ministry of the United Arab Emirates joined forces. They signed a liaison officer agreement that allowed UAE law enforcement liaison officers to be deployed to Europol’s headquarters in the Netherlands, the report said.

Europol said it had been planning to take down the super cartel for two years.

In Europe, data shows that access to cocaine in Europe has increased annually over the past 10 years, according to the European Drugs Report from the European Monitoring Center for Drugs and Drug Addiction. “Overall, indicators suggest that cocaine availability and use in Europe remain high by historical standards,” analysts wrote. “In 2020, a record 213 tonnes of cocaine were seized. The increase in the number of cocaine labs dismantled in 2020, seizures of raw materials and related chemicals imported from South America all point to large-scale cocaine processing in Europe.”

Cocaine is also a problem in the US, especially when it comes to corrupt law enforcement. An off-duty Pentagon police officer was arrested last month with at least 5 pounds of cocaine. In that case, the Arlington County Police Department charged the officer with two counts of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances while armed.

Read Europol’s announcement for more details on the policing of Operation Desert Light.