International Operation Seizes 73 Tons of Cocaine Bound for Europe

Authorities dismantle a major drug trafficking network spanning Ecuador, Germany, and Spain, with 50 arrests and significant global cooperation.

Law enforcement agencies confiscated 73 tons of cocaine valued at billions of euros, smuggled from Ecuador to Europe via sea containers.
The operation involved coordinated efforts by Europol, German and Spanish authorities, and Ecuadorian investigators.
Since 2024, 14 individuals have been arrested in Germany and Spain, with an additional 36 arrests and 50 house searches conducted in Ecuador.
The dismantled network utilized European logistics companies to distribute the drugs across the EU after arrival at major ports in Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands, and Spain.
Europol highlighted the importance of international collaboration and recently strengthened ties between the EU and Ecuador to combat organized crime.