Europol and Federal Police Mount Joint Anti-Trafficking Operation in Brazil

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Europol announced on Friday, November 27th, that it has conducted the largest operation in its history against drug trafficking between Brazil and Europe. Over one thousand police officers were deployed this week to counter what the agency called a “highly professional” criminal group. Operations occurred in 180 different locations, with 45 people arrested.

According to Europol, the action uncovered a network responsible for importing at least 45 tons of cocaine into major European ports, with profits of over 100 million euros in only six months.

The operation was conducted in three different countries, with actions by Portugal, Belgium, and Brazil. The Spanish and Romanian police, as well as Dubai authorities, were also involved.

Of the 45 arrests, 38 occurred in Brazil earlier in the week, in addition to four others in Belgium, one in Spain and two in Dubai. In Portugal, 12 million euros in cash were found.

Two houses were also seized in Spain, worth four million euros, and two apartments in Portugal worth 2.5 million euros. The bank accounts of ten individuals were frozen in Spain.

Unprecedented cooperation

The initiative is part of a mega-operation conducted this week by the Federal Police and the Federal Treasury against drug trafficking. The measure marked the beginning of an unprecedented cooperation between Brazilian authorities and Europol, the European Union Agency for Police Cooperation, based in the Netherlands.

Since September, the ex-Superintendent of the Federal Police in Rio de Janeiro, Ricardo Saadi, has been working from the Europol’s headquarters and serving as the country’s liaison officer.

“This operation highlights the complex structure and wide reach of Brazilian organized crime groups in Europe,” said the deputy director of Europol, Wil van Gemert.

“The magnitude of the challenge the world’s police today is facing demands a coordinated approach to fight drug trafficking across continents,” he said.

Based on an exchange of intelligence, Europol found that the criminal group had direct contact with drug cartels in Brazil and in other South American countries that were in charge of preparing and loading cocaine in marine containers. The destination: the main European ports.

“The range of cocaine imports from Brazil to Europe under its control and command is tremendous, and over 52 tons of cocaine were seized by law enforcement officers during the investigation,” the agency reported.

In April 2020, Europol convened the countries involved, which have since been working to bring down the full network. In addition to members of the national police, eight Europol agents were deployed to Portugal, Belgium, and Brazil to assist national authorities. The last two suspects were arrested on Friday in Dubai.

In Brazil, the Federal Police had among its goals the seizure of trafficking assets valued at approximately R$1 billion. Called Enterprise, the operation was conducted in ten Brazilian states. According to the Federal Police, aircraft, real estate and luxury vehicles were targeted for seizure, while new assets are expected to be found.

According to the Federal Police, the operation is the largest in the history of the fight against money laundering, but it is only the first of a wave of initiatives and operations that should arise in the coming months as a result of international cooperation.