Eurojust and Europol coordinate a transnational operation in Italy and Spain, arresting 12 suspects and seizing drugs, assets and cannabis cultivation sites.
Eurojust and Europol have coordinated a major transnational law enforcement operation that dismantled an international drug trafficking group with operations spanning Italy and Spain, authorities said.
The joint action, backed by a Unified Joint Investigation Team involving Italian and Spanish authorities, has resulted in the arrest of 12 people suspected of running a drug trafficking organisation focused on the production and distribution of marijuana and hashish. Earlier actions by the same investigation had already led to the arrest of 13 people and the seizure of more than 900 kilograms of drugs.
Investigators learned that the criminal network was led by an Italian national who had relocated to Barcelona, where he managed his trusted associates in overseeing cannabis cultivation and moving the products to Italy for distribution or onward sale. The group included individuals responsible for cultivation, transport coordination and collection of illicit proceeds.
To conceal narcotics shipments, the suspects used a variety of methods, including hiding drugs in pallets of fruit and vegetables and then later in sacks of animal feed sealed to evade detection during routine checks. At more advanced stages, the organisation also shifted to sea transport to further mask their cargo movements.
During the recent coordinated action day, law enforcement arrested the fugitive leader of the gang, who had previously fled after being detained for marijuana possession along with five other members in Italy. Six more suspects were apprehended in Spain. Searches in both countries uncovered 1,670 cannabis plants, materials for three indoor cultivation facilities, and assets valued around €1 million, including a luxury villa in Barcelona and multiple vehicles.
Six suspects remain under house arrest in Italy, while two are in pretrial detention in Spain as the investigation moves forward. Authorities highlighted that cooperative efforts, intelligence sharing and coordinated arrests were essential to dismantling the criminal organisation and disrupting its supply chain.
Reports are sourced from official documents, law-enforcement updates, and credible investigations.
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