{"id":53513,"date":"2023-09-02T14:59:32","date_gmt":"2023-09-02T14:59:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.threatshub.org\/blog\/cops-drill-into-chat-apps-sink-plot-to-smuggle-tons-of-coke-into-europe\/"},"modified":"2023-09-02T14:59:32","modified_gmt":"2023-09-02T14:59:32","slug":"cops-drill-into-chat-apps-sink-plot-to-smuggle-tons-of-coke-into-europe","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.threatshub.org\/blog\/cops-drill-into-chat-apps-sink-plot-to-smuggle-tons-of-coke-into-europe\/","title":{"rendered":"Cops drill into chat apps, sink plot to smuggle tons of coke into Europe"},"content":{"rendered":"

Video<\/span> Efforts by cops to seize and shut down encrypted messaging apps favored by criminals, and then mine their conversations for evidence, appear to have led to more arrests \u2014 plus the seizure of about 2.7 tonnes of cocaine.<\/p>\n

Europol on Friday celebrated its “dismantling of a large drug-trafficking organization,” following an investigation into a Balkan cartel that was suspected of smuggling coke into Europe from South America via sea. That Serbian-led police effort included help from Brazil, Croatia, France, Poland, Portugal, Spain, and Slovenia.<\/p>\n

Specifically, the plod said the cartel, which had been under investigation since January 2022, was slinging “multi-ton cocaine shipments” from Brazil to the EU using a large boat. We’re told the vessel’s skippers had also gone to West Africa to prep their craft for smuggling. Below is a video summary of the raids carried out against the crime ring.<\/p>\n