Spain busts key Latin American coke route into Europe

Spanish police on Friday announced the takedown of a major network transporting Latin American cocaine into Europe by boat in an international operation involving 50 arrests across eight countries.

The investigation was started by police in Spain and Britain in June 2020 but quickly expanded, drawing in forces from 11 different countries and backed by Europol, Europe's policing agency, a Spanish police statement said.

In total, they confiscated 1.5 tonnes of cocaine and seized eight vessels used for shifting their product from Latin American and Caribbean nations to Spain.

The narcotics were shipped from loading points in Brazil, Colombia, Guayana, Trinidad and Tobago, Santa Lucia, Barbados and Panama to Spanish ports in the Canary Islands, the southern region of Andalusia and the eastern city of Valencia

The leader, who was arrested in Norway, is a veteran drug smuggler known as "The Professor", the statement said.

He has had "more than 20 years" in the business, winning him the "full confidence of the Colombian and Mexican drug cartels" with whom he coordinated the shipments, it added.

The network also included members of the so-called "Balkans' cartel" who were "living the high life" in Spain's southern Costa del Sol, the statement said.

But there was also a spiritual element, police said.

"The criminal organisation would appeal to a santero (witchdoctor) to receive his blessing and for the success of its cocaine transportation operations between Latin America and Europe," it said.

• World