Joint actions by the Spanish National Police and the Swedish Police, supported by Europol, dismantled a criminal network that moved drugs by truck between Spain and Sweden.[1][2] Swedish authorities had opened the investigation in 2019 after linking a money laundering case to suspected members of the network, some of whom were based in Alicante, Spain.[1][2] The network bought legal goods and exported them in trucks as cover for concealing drugs in the vehicles.[1][2]
Swedish investigators identified two shipments: 200 kilos of cannabis bound for Gothenburg and 300 kilos headed for Stockholm.[1][2] That led to the arrests of six network members in Sweden in mid-February, plus a seventh suspect in Spain, and to seizures of more than 200,000 euros in cash with jewellery, watches and electronic equipment.[1][2] Two weeks later the authorities detected another shipment; a special operation seized 44 kilos of marijuana, the drivers were arrested and further accomplices were intercepted.[1][2] Home searches in connection with these actions uncovered indoor cannabis cultivation and 250 marijuana plants were seized.[1][2] In total 14 people were arrested in the two countries, seven in Spain and seven in Sweden, and five other suspects connected to the network had been arrested earlier in Sweden, making 19 arrests.[1][2] Europol backed the investigation with information exchange, tactical analysis and operational coordination.[1][2]
