In a Europe-wide operation coordinated by Europol and Eurojust, the State Criminal Police Office of North Rhine-Westphalia (LKA NRW) assisted in the arrest of a suspect in NRW early Tuesday morning (June 2, 2024) in cooperation with the Düsseldorf Public Prosecutor General's Office.

At the same time, law enforcement authorities in various European countries and Ukraine searched several properties and arrested other people under investigation for large-scale drug trafficking and money laundering.

Drugs smuggled across borders by truck

The criminal organization is said to have smuggled large quantities of cannabis and cocaine across European borders by truck and then laundered the drug money through Germany. According to the investigating authorities, the members of the criminal network come from various countries including Italy, Albania, Spain, Belgium, Germany and Ukraine.

Details and background information on the operation coordinated by Europol and Eurojust can be found here:

https://www.eurojust.europa.eu/news/drug-trafficking-network-active-across-europe-dismantled