Europol Busts International Drug Trafficking Network, Seizing EUR 27 Million in Cryptocurrency
- Xuemei Pal
- D.O.C Supplements - Trending News
- Europe
- January 13, 2025

Image Credit, Europol
In a sweeping operation coordinated by Europol, nine individuals have been arrested for their roles in laundering profits from large-scale drug trafficking and other serious crimes. The effort, which built on findings from two extensive investigations—Operation GORGON and Operation WHITEWALL—also led to the seizure of EUR 27 million in cryptocurrencies, EUR 35,000 in cash, luxury goods, gold, and critical evidence such as documents and mobile phones.
Law enforcement agencies from six countries, including Albania, Belgium, Bulgaria, the Netherlands, Spain, and the United States, collaborated to dismantle the sophisticated financial networks underpinning these criminal enterprises. Europol’s expertise in organized and financial crime played a pivotal role in identifying and dismantling the underground banking systems used to launder proceeds from illicit activities.
The roots of this operation trace back to 2021 when a house search in Spain unearthed cash linked to cocaine trafficking. Among the seized currency were five-euro notes with handwritten details pointing to a British national coordinating underground banking services for a drug network in southern Spain. This network operated under the direction of a larger organization based in Dubai. The British suspect was apprehended in September 2022.
Subsequent analysis of the seized data uncovered connections to additional individuals, enabling law enforcement to map out the network’s hierarchy and activities. On November 4, 2024, a Europol-coordinated action day was conducted in Malaga, Spain, involving multiple law enforcement agencies.
Operations GORGON and WHITEWALL revealed a growing trend of using cryptocurrency for money laundering. A criminal network based in Albania, previously targeted during Operation GORGON, was found facilitating massive money transfers via cryptocurrencies. These services, tailored for high-value targets and various criminal organizations, highlight the increasing sophistication of financial crimes.
Europol’s cryptocurrency specialists provided critical support, utilizing advanced digital forensic tools and remote investigative capabilities to trace and recover the illicit funds.
Collaboration with cryptocurrency asset providers and a major stablecoin issuer proved instrumental in this operation. These partnerships ensured swift and effective action, showcasing the potential of public-private cooperation in disrupting digital financial crimes.
The investigation illuminated the interconnected nature of organized crime, where underground banking and money laundering serve as essential services for drug trafficking, contract killings, and arms trafficking. Europol’s continued dissemination of intelligence and analytical reports to international partners underscores its central role in combating transnational crime.
Law enforcement agencies from Albania, Belgium, Bulgaria, the Netherlands, Spain, and the United States worked in close collaboration to achieve these breakthroughs. This joint effort marks a significant victory in the ongoing fight against organized crime, with investigations still underway to further dismantle these criminal networks.
The arrests and seizures signal a clear warning to criminal organizations exploiting digital currencies: law enforcement is adapting rapidly, leveraging global cooperation and technological innovation to target illicit financial networks.