News
Balkan Cartel Busted
Balkan Cartel Busted: Eight Tons of Cocaine Seized, Dozens Arrested Across Europe
European police forces have arrested around 40 individuals in a prolonged operation targeting a significant drug smuggling cartel, resulting in the seizure of eight tons of cocaine, Europol announced Thursday.
The cartel, with leaders based in Turkey and Dubai, suffered a major setback following a final series of arrests on Wednesday, according to the Hague-based police coordination agency.
Oscar Esteban Remacha, head of the anti-drug trafficking unit at Spain’s Guardia Civil, stated at a news conference in Madrid that the network had “the capacity to transport tons and tons of cocaine all over the world.”
Europol released images and a nearly 10-minute video on Thursday, showing K-9 dogs and officers uncovering bags of suspected drugs and detaining multiple suspects. The video also captures a boat being intercepted at sea, with officers unloading bags of suspected narcotics.
The final phase of the operation commenced in August 2023, when the Guardia Civil discovered 1,540 pounds of cocaine on a boat off the Canary Islands, crewed by Croatian and Italian citizens. Spain, due to its ties with Latin America and proximity to Morocco, serves as a major entry point for drugs into Europe.
Upon sharing their findings with other police forces, investigators identified connections to previous seizures, leading to the identification of the cartel’s leaders. Europol indicated that many network members were from Balkan countries.
Approximately 40 individuals were arrested across six countries, including two top Croatian members detained in Istanbul late last year. The last four arrests occurred on Wednesday in Spain.
An AFP journalist reported that heavily armed Guardia Civil officers arrested a 40-year-old suspect during a dawn raid at his home in Marbella, a Mediterranean seaside resort.
“This is one of the biggest operations against the Balkan cartels to date,” said Tomislav Stambuk, a Croatian police officer, at the news conference. “Serious assessments are that the Balkan cartel is responsible for the supply of more than half of the cocaine in Europe.”
Europol noted that the network’s assets, valued at several tens of millions of euros, had been seized or frozen. The smugglers transported cocaine from South America to logistical hubs in West Africa and the Canary Islands, before distributing it to centers in Belgium, Croatia, Germany, Italy, and Spain.
The bust occurs amid a surge in cocaine production, according to Robert Fay, head of Europol’s narcotics department. Cocaine seizures at European ports have reached record levels, and Fay expressed concern over the rise in drug-related violence across the continent.
“We see bombings, killings, professional assassinations, shootings happening almost every day in the European Union,” Fay said.
The arrests in Spain follow the country’s “biggest-ever seizure” of crystal meth, 1.8 tons, attempted by Mexico’s Sinaloa Cartel last month.
Globally, other major cocaine busts have been reported. Recently, Colombian naval officers seized two semisubmersible vessels carrying nearly five tons of cocaine in the Pacific Ocean. The U.S. Coast Guard offloaded $63 million worth of cocaine in Florida after a high-speed shootout in the Caribbean Sea, and the French Navy confiscated 2.4 tons of cocaine from a fishing boat in the Atlantic Ocean.
Colombia remains the world’s largest cocaine producer, responsible for about 60% of global production.
Diaspora Watch – Vol. 44 (April 28 – May 4, 2025)
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The world is abuzz with breaking news, and the 44th edition of Diaspora Watch is your passport to the most critical global developments. From the hallowed halls of the Vatican to the bustling streets of Geneva, our spotlight shines bright on the stories that matter most.
Witness the high-stakes diplomatic dance between the US and Iran, as they hold new talks in Oman amid a push for a nuclear deal. Meanwhile, in Rome, hundreds of thousands pay their respects to Pope Francis, while Trump and Zelensky hold a pivotal meeting at the Vatican.
In Sudan, the crisis deepens as displaced people resort to eating leaves and charcoal to survive. The world watches with bated breath as the situation unfolds.
California has overtaken Japan as the world’s fourth-largest economy, while the threat of crypto investment scams looms large, with $5.8 billion lost in 2024 alone.
Oluwatobiloba Amusan returns to action in the Xiamen Diamond League, and the world waits with anticipation for the selection of a new Pope. Who will be the next leader of the Catholic Church?
The Caribbean Investment Summit in Antigua brings together leaders and investors, while Qatar’s aviation scholarships and training opportunities are a beacon of hope for CARICOM citizens.
These and many more are for your reading pleasure. Dive into the 44th edition of Diaspora Watch and stay informed about the stories shaping our world.
Top negotiators from the United States and Iran are set to meet again in Oman on Saturday, aiming to make progress towards a new agreement that would curb Tehran’s rapidly advancing nuclear programme.
The meeting will involve Iran’s Foreign Minister, Abbas Araqchi, and Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, who will negotiate indirectly through Omani mediators.
The talks follow a productive round of discussions in Rome last week, which both sides described as constructive.
The new discussions are expected to begin at expert level, with the aim of setting the stage for direct talks between the two lead negotiators.
US President Donald Trump expressed confidence in securing a deal, saying: “I think we’re going to make a deal with Iran.”
However, significant differences remain over the nuclear dispute, which has persisted for over two decades.
The US has withdrawn from the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and six world powers and imposed a stringent “maximum pressure” campaign on Tehran, reimposing crippling sanctions. In response, Iran has breached the terms of the pact, particularly in its nuclear activities.
Iran has accelerated its uranium enrichment, reaching up to 60% purity, a significant step towards the 90% purity required for weapons-grade uranium.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said that a new deal would require Iran to cease all uranium enrichment and import any enriched uranium it needs for its Bushehr nuclear power plant.
However, Tehran is unwilling to make such concessions, insisting that ending its enrichment programme or surrendering its enriched uranium stockpiles are “red lines” that cannot be crossed.
Iranian officials have stated that their country will consider negotiating some limits on its nuclear programme in exchange for the lifting of sanctions.
The talks have also highlighted concerns over Iran’s missile programme, which Tehran insists is non-negotiable.
An Iranian official said that Tehran views its missile programme as an even greater obstacle to reaching an agreement than its nuclear work.
The outcome of these talks will have significant implications for regional and global security, and it remains to be seen whether the two sides can find common ground.
A successful deal would not only benefit the two countries but also contribute to regional and global stability.
Prime Minister of Grenada, Honourable Dickon Mitchell, attended the 2025 Caribbean Investment Summit (CIS25) in Antigua and Barbuda.
The summit, themed “Integrity. Stability. Sustainability — CBI Pathway to Economic Prosperity,” provided a platform for regional leaders to discuss investment strategies and economic development.
During the Stakeholder Impact Session, “Adapting to the New Regulatory Era,” the Prime Minister engaged with other Caribbean leaders, Heads of Citizenship by Investment Units (CIUs), and senior officials on strengthening the region’s investment ecosystem.
The session focused on advancing the summit’s core pillars of integrity, stability, sustainability, and economic prosperity.
A closed-door meeting followed, where Prime Ministers, CIU Heads, and the Joint Regional Communications Centre (JRCC) deliberated on regional investment and development strategies.
The summit aimed to foster collaboration and drive economic growth in the Caribbean region.
Diaspora Watch – Vol. 44
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