Police Bust Cocaine 'Super-Cartel' in Dubai, Europe

Facts

• At least 49 people have been arrested across Dubai and Europe as a result of an international operation aimed at dismantling a drugs 'super-cartel.' According to Europol, who conducted the investigation, the group controlled a third of Europe's cocaine trade.¹
• Known as 'Operation Desert Light,' the two-year-long investigation reportedly resulted in the seizure of more than 30K kilos of drugs, and the collaboration of authorities in Spain, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, and the UAE.²
• Europol also hinted that some of the suspects arrested in the case were 'high-value,' including two people detained in Dubai and, according to the agency, one Dutch suspect who they described as, 'an extremely big fish.'³
• Reports suggest that the suspects include a 37-year-old man with dual Dutch and Moroccan nationality, who stands accused of importing thousands of kilos of cocaine into the Netherlands between 2020 and 2021, and a 40-year-old dual Dutch-Bosnian national.³
• Although the news is reflective of the fact that record amounts of cocaine are currently being seized in Europe, the drug is more widely available on the continent than it's ever been before. The amount seized in the region in 2020 was up by 6% on the previous year at 214 tonnes.⁴
• In a statement about the case, Europol said that there is, 'no safe haven for drug lords.'⁵

Sources: ¹Al Jazeera, ²BBC News, ³RTE.ie, ⁴Associated Press and ⁵Vice.

Narratives

• Pro-establishment narrative, as provided by Mirror. The execution of this operation shows that drug lords cannot continue to illicitly accumulate wealth and power unchecked in today's Europe. Europol have pulled off an astounding victory and dented the illegal drugs market irreparably in the process.
• Establishment-critical narrative, as provided by UnHerd. Tackling organized crime is certainly part of the solution to the drug problem, but the legalization of illicit substances would be a far more effective way to undermine their power and profits. Politicians and government agencies need to stop thinking so much about their public image and more about effective policy.