Police dismantle nine criminal groups trafficking cocaine in Slovenia
Slovenian police have uncovered nine criminal groups over the past year that have smuggled large quantities of cocaine into Slovenia and abroad. Among the seizures, 60 kg of cocaine in Celje and 30 kg in Ljubljana stand out.
Cocaine seizures in Celje and Ljubljana reveal extensive smuggling networks
Slovenian police have dismantled nine criminal groups over the past year that have smuggled large quantities of drugs, primarily cocaine, into Slovenia and abroad, according to Delo. Among the members of arrested groups are both Slovenian and foreign nationals, as international organisations reach substantially larger markets.
The seizures recorded over the past twelve months are surprising in scale. In May this year, police seized 60 kilogrammes of cocaine in Celje during a handover, whilst at the end of December last year they seized just over 30 kilogrammes in Ljubljana. Police estimate the latter consignment alone at three-quarters of a million euros.
Photographs of police seizures show that the cocaine intercepted this year was still packaged in distribution-kilogramme packages. These are marked with various images — amongst them a drawing of a capybara, the Rolling Stones tongue, or an Ecuadorian brand of tuna Real. According to police, the markings can indicate the origin or source of the drug, but goods can also be marked for a specific recipient.
Police confirm that the May seizure in Celje, the December seizure in Ljubljana, and the October arrests of six separate groups are unrelated investigations. The same applies to the Celje lorry drivers who, according to investigators' findings, traded in narcotics in northern Europe. This points to the existence of a larger number of independent clans with their own hierarchical structure, in which leaders and organisers — also through intermediaries — conduct business at the international level.
Source: Delo