Cracking Down on Cartels
The Europol Podcast
Europol
4.6 • 7 Ratings
🗓️ 30 January 2024
⏱️ 24 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
In the late 2010s, Europol collaborated with police in Europe, Asia, South America and the United States as part of Operation Familia. The operation targeted a Balkan cartel who were shipping vast amounts of cocaine to the European Union, using new methods that marked them out as a sophisticated criminal network. By the end of the operation, over a tonne of cocaine and millions of euros would be seized by law enforcement.
In this episode of The Europol Podcast, Europol and the DEA will give you a behind-the-scenes look at Operation Familia, one of Europol’s biggest cocaine trafficking investigations.
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | In this case was from the very beginning, at least three member states affected. |
| 0:05.1 | So for us, by default, is a priority investigation. |
| 0:08.8 | We're very opportunistic, looking for any opportunity to co-op someone to help them in there, |
| 0:13.7 | international drug smuggling scheme. |
| 0:15.8 | This was a unique example, and this was the kind of pioneer project to the future OTPs that we are having now. |
| 0:22.6 | Welcome to the Europol podcast, the official podcast of the EU Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation. |
| 0:29.6 | In this series, we shine a light on some of the biggest operations Europol has supported and how we continue to fight crime. |
| 0:43.3 | Today's episode, Cracking Down on Cartels. It's spring 2018. |
| 0:57.0 | A plane is preparing to take off from an airport in Paraguay. |
| 1:02.0 | The small jet, chartered by a private company, is filling up with luggage. |
| 1:07.0 | Colorful suitcases of all shapes and sizes are loaded into the hold. |
| 1:11.6 | However, there are only a few people boarding. |
| 1:15.6 | In fact, it's just the two pilots. |
| 1:18.6 | Turns out this is no ordinary charter flight. |
| 1:21.6 | Among the swimsuits and holiday books, each suitcase is filled with vast quantities of pure cocaine. |
| 1:29.3 | Hundreds of kilograms direct from the manufacturer is about to take off for Europe. |
| 1:34.3 | Once in Europe, it will be cut with harmful chemicals and other illegal drugs before being sold |
| 1:39.3 | on criminal markets to users throughout the continent. |
| 1:43.3 | The profits are reinvested into other criminal |
| 1:46.2 | activities and a lavish lifestyle for the traffickers. As well as buyers in Europe, the criminals |
| 1:52.6 | are sending cocaine to Asia and Australia too. This network are clearly enjoying massive international |
| 1:59.2 | reach. However, today's law enforcement, when we work together, can reach even further. |
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