MUP of Serbia seized 2.7 tons of cocaine and half a million euros in international operation

(Patria) - In an international operation led by the MUP of Serbia and the Security Intelligence Agency (BIA) in coordination with Europol, 2.7 tons of cocaine were seized on a sailboat in the Atlantic Ocean, six people were arrested, and more than half a million euros were confiscated, the MUP of Serbia announced.

In Serbia, the organizer of the criminal group, seventy-year-old S.K., and three other suspects - N.S. (1988), N.S. (1980), and B.K. (1983) - were deprived of their liberty.

More than 550,000 euros were also seized in the operation.

The investigation into this organized criminal group was launched in January 2022 on suspicion of smuggling cocaine from South America to European Union countries.

The police of Croatia, Spain, Brazil, France, Poland, Portugal, and Slovenia also participated in a coordinated manner in the operation, within the framework of the operational task force "Balkan Cartel".

Six people were deprived of their liberty, and 15 apartments were searched. In addition to cocaine and money, two high-class vehicles, expensive watches, electronic equipment, and mobile phones were seized.

As part of the financial investigation, a large number of bank accounts and properties were blocked.

It is suspected that this organized criminal group transported cocaine from South America using sailboats, and the shipment of consignments was carried out using an encrypted communication platform, the MUP of Serbia announced.