Tons of coke seized, 314 held in Europe-wide blitz

THE HAGUE: Police from 52 countries “in a major blow to organised crime groups” have seized 2.38 tons of cocaine and arrested 314 individuals following a week-long international operation, Europol announced yesterday.

Coded Ciconia Alba, the operation focused on disrupting the most dangerous criminal networks, with the emphasis on illegal immigration, human trafficking, drug trafficking and cybercrime, Europol said.

Red-light districts, massage parlours, private apartments, airports and immigration reception centres were targeted.

“It confirmed that trafficking networks originating in Nigeria, Asia and Eastern Europe are the most active in the EU.”

In one case, Austrian authorities discovered a cannabis plantation while checking out a brothel.The officers also intercepted four irregular migrants on their way to Italy. A fake travel agency in Greece was facilitating illegal immigration.

Some 529 trafficking victims were found in brothels and massage parlours, 314 people were arrested and 2.4 tons of cocaine and 181 500 (R2.7 million) seized. – Xinhua