Türkiye partners with Europol to seize 2 tons of drugs in Spain
The headquarters building of the European Union's law enforcement agency in Hague, Netherlands, June 24, 2020. (Getty Images Photo)


More than 2 tons of narcotics were seized and 42 suspects arrested in a joint operation by Turkish, French and Spanish law enforcement officials in Spain, the European Union's joint police force Europol announced in a statement.

Europol collaborated with over 400 police officers from Türkiye, France and Spain to conduct an operation against a drug trafficking criminal organization based in Spain.

The operation resulted in the seizure of over 2 tons of cannabis plants and numerous other narcotics.

According to the statement, "On June 11 and 12, Europol supported more than 400 police officers from France, Spain and Türkiye in an operation targeting a criminal network based in Spain. The network was involved in large-scale cannabis trafficking in Western Europe and was also suspected of smuggling heroin into the EU."

During the operation conducted at 28 addresses in Granada, Malaga and Seville, Spain, 42 individuals were arrested, and more than 100,000 euros (more than $106,000) were seized.

Regarding the joint operation, Europol stated: "Europol provided analytical support to law enforcement officials to advance the investigation. On the day of the operation, an expert from Europol's European Centre for Serious Organised Crime Analysis joined Spanish, French and Turkish officials on-site, working closely together."