As stated in the Europol announcement, the operation targeted a significant cell of the Balkan Cartel. They also released footage and stated that it shows the arrest of a leading member of the Balkan Cartel.
"Europol also supported law enforcement authorities in Germany regarding an investigation focused on potential contacts. This operation resulted in the arrest of twelve suspects (four in Germany), including a high-value target (HVT) arrested in Montenegro," the Europol announcement states.
The announcement notes that the investigation, also supported by authorities in Austria and Spain, focused on a criminal network involved in large-scale international drug trafficking (cocaine and cannabis).
"It is believed that the suspects, who reside in Montenegro and Germany, played various roles within the criminal organization, from financiers to coordinators and logisticians," they emphasized.
They highlight that judicial authorities in Montenegro have filed charges against several suspects for their involvement in trafficking 2.7 tons of cocaine and 1.5 tons of cannabis between October 2024 and April 2026.
"The drugs were seized in 12 different prior operations in several EU and South American countries. It is believed the network used maritime and air routes for smuggling, employing shipping containers and other covert methods to transport illegal substances. The criminal network is also suspected of smuggling cannabis into the EU from and via countries such as Albania, Thailand, and the United States," Europol stated.