Italy, Belgium dismantle transnational drug-trafficking ring

By Giovanni Legorano

ROME (AA) - Italy and Belgium have dismantled a transcontinental criminal network trafficking large amounts of cocaine from South America to Europe, Europol said Tuesday.

Authorities arrested 14 people, 11 in Belgium, two in Germany and one in Italy, as part of the operation, which was carried out in April, but unveiled on Tuesday.

They also seized more than 780 kilograms (1,720 pounds) of cocaine, carried out 11 house searches in Italy and Belgium and dismantled an underground laboratory.

Europol said the alleged criminal gang was led by an Italian family in contact with suppliers in Colombia and chemists in Belgium.

The people are accused of importing huge amounts of cocaine paste, shipped from Colombia to European ports.

Once in the EU, they stored the product in warehouses in Belgium, which were used as laboratories for the synthesis process, the agency said.

It added that the criminal organization was also engaged in heroin trafficking and money laundering.

Europol also said it supported the authorities of both countries as well as those of Germany and Switzerland, which helped in the investigation.

“Eurojust set up a joint investigation team between the Belgian and Italian authorities to ensure critical information for the Belgian investigation was shared by their Italian counterparts,” the agency added.