The criminal network, primarily operating out of Albania with branches in Italy, imported cocaine directly from South America to major European ports via commercial shipping routes. Once in Europe, the drugs were transported to Italy concealed in trucks. Large quantities of drugs were stored in six warehouses across Italy, after which warehouse managers distributed the drugs further and collected the cash proceeds. To reach the top layers of the criminal network, money mules were used to transport the cash to Albania. It is suspected that these money mules were bus drivers on the Italy-Albania route.

Authorities from Italy, France, Albania and Switzerland started a complex investigation to take down the drug trafficking network. Messages from SkyECC, decrypted during a large-scale operation coordinated by Eurojust, were key to gathering evidence on the criminal group’s modus operandi. By shadowing individuals and intercepting phones and computers, authorities were able to plan a joint action day to arrest key members of the criminal group and seize cash and drugs that were ready to be trafficked further. Cooperation during the extensive investigation was set up through a joint investigation team at Eurojust. With support from the Agency, authorities were able to swiftly exchange information and evidence, plan the action day and decide on a prosecution strategy. Europol supported the investigation by providing operational analysis and facilitating the exchange of intelligence between all the countries involved.

On 26 November, actions were carried out in Italy, France and Albania, resulting in the arrest of 24 members of the criminal network and the seizure of EUR 3 million. Prior to the action day, Swiss authorities also executed actions targeting the drug trafficking network, leading to the arrest of six members. Actions earlier in the year by all the partners also resulted in the seizure of over EUR 550 000 in cash, vehicles and 130 kg of drugs and a further four arrests. If sold on the market, the seized drugs would have generated approximately EUR 12 million in profits.

The investigations were carried out by the following authorities:

• Italy: Public Prosecutor’s Office of Brescia, District Antimafia Directorate; Financial and Economic Police Unit Guardia di Finanza Brescia; Organized Crime Central Investigation Unit Guardia di Finanza; Police Liaison Officer at the Italian Embassy in Tirana
• France: Court of Appeal Riom; Judicial Court of Clermont Ferrand
• Albania: Special Prosecution Office against Corruption and Organised Crime; Albanian State Police
• Switzerland: Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland; Federal Office of Police fedpol; Cantonal police of Lucerne