The Spanish police seized more than 820 kilograms of cocaine in Valencia and arrested 17 members of the “Balkan Cartel” who have contacts in Latin America, Europe and Dubai.
“In eight separate actions, in addition to cocaine, the Spanish police also confiscated 226,500 euros, three GPS tracking devices, 13 vehicles and numerous other pieces of evidence,” the police announced.
The police state that an organized criminal group, originally from Albania, used a car wash as a base where members of the group received assignments and instructions.
“The group is connected to international cocaine smuggling in the east of Spain and is one of the largest and most active in the country,” the Spanish police point out.
The police found out about the group in 2023, when cases of smuggling large quantities of cocaine and money laundering were discovered.
Members of the “Balkan Cartel” were arrested last year as part of an international operation in Serbia.
Twenty members of that group, who were arrested in May 2023, were indicted on suspicion of having participated in the international trade of seven tons of cocaine.
