European and Brazilian authorities have dismantled a drug-trafficking network believed to have shipped more than 17 tons of cocaine to Europe, Europol announced today.

In total, 15 people were arrested and objects worth more than 80 million euros were seized, according to the announcement of this European Union agency for cooperation between national police authorities, which is based in The Hague.

“This is an important victory in the fight against the drug trade. European and Latin American police authorities dismantled one of Brazil’s most active criminal networks, which had flooded Europe with tons of cocaine.”Europol added.

According to the Brazilian Federal Police (PF), which has been investigating this case for two years, this organization sent 17 tons of narcotics to Europe. Of this quantity, however, 12 tons were confiscated. The operation to dismantle the network took place on Thursday, with the participation of 200 police officers in various states of Brazil and in Asuncion, the capital of Paraguay. 87 properties, 173 vehicles and an aircraft were confiscated, while 147 bank accounts were frozen.

The cocaine was produced in Bolivia and transported to Brazil by truck by a Paraguayan. Shipments to Europe were carried out by sea, through companies based in ports in southern Brazil. These companies hid the drugs in legal cargo, the owners of which knew nothing. When the products arrived in Europe, the traffickers’ partners would steal that part of the cargo that contained the drugs, so they could then sell them in different countries.

The investigation began in March 2021, when 316 kilograms of cocaine originating from southern Brazil were seized in the port of Hamburg, Germany. Germany, France, Spain and Paraguay also participated in the survey.