Illegal Drugs & Smuggling
The transport of illegal drugs through European ports and the measures taken by port authorities, national governments and international organisations to counter the efforts of smugglers. This includes news about the European Union and Europol, and illegal drug discoveries in docked ships and ports.
Record 13 tonnes of cocaine seized in Algeciras port
Algeciras, Spain (Ports Europe) October 26, 2024 – An all-time record of 13 tonnes of cocaine were seized in the Spanish port of Algeciras in the province...
334 kg of cocaine in bananas seized in Vlissingen port
Vlissingen, The Netherlands (Ports Europe) October 19, 2024 – The customs special task force (TBB) at the Netherlands’ port of Vlissingen seized 334 kg of...
Antwerp and Rotterdam fight the “PIN code fraud”
Rotterdam, Netherlands (Ports Europe) October 16, 2024 – Europe’s two largest container ports – Netherlands’ Rotterdam and Belgium’s Antwerp...
Possible precursors for chemical weapons, nerve agents seized in Barcelona port
Barcelona, Spain (Ports Europe) October 16, 2024 – Spanish police arrested four people suspected of organising a sanctions-busting network after customs...
Another large cocaine seizure linked to port of Hamburg
Hamburg, Germany (Ports Europe) October 15, 2024 – A large quantity of cocaine was seized during a raid in Neu Wulmstorf on the Hamburg city limits by German...
Authorities seize cocaine in Rosslare Port, Ireland
Rosslare, Ireland (Ports Europe) October 14, 2024 – In the last few days, a total of 66kg of cocaine has been seized by the Gardaí and Revenue in...
Cocaine seized in Port of Gioia Tauro
Gioia Tauro, Italy (Ports Europe) October 10, 2024 – The Provincial Command of Reggio Calabria and the Customs and Monopolies Agency (ADM-Agenzia delle...
Authorities seize 3,000 kg of kratom at the Port of Koper
Koper, Slovenia (Ports Europe) October 8, 2024 – The authorities have seized 3,000 kilos of kratom at the Port of Koper. Kratom is a herbal extract which...
4 tonnes of cocaine seized near Canary Islands
Puerto Naos, Spain (Ports Europe) October 6, 2024 – Some 4,000 kg of cocaine were seized by Spanish authorities from the Tanzania-flagged cargo ship Ras 240...
Scanners and 50 extra staff in Zeebrugge port against drug smuggling
Zeebrugge, Belgium (Ports Europe) October 4, 2024 – 50 additional staff members will be employed and two mobile cargo scanners will be acquired in...
Cocaine destined for Belgium seized in Dominican Rep
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic (Ports Europe) October 2, 2024 – On September 30, the National Drug Control Directorate (DNCD) said that the shipment...
Cocaine worth €100 million seized in Hamburg port
Hamburg, Germany (Ports Europe) September 29, 2024 – More than 2 tonnes of cocaine were seized near Germany’s North Sea port of Hamburg on September 25...
180 kg of cocaine in 4 containers seized in Rotterdam port
Rotterdam, Netherlands (Ports Europe) September 28, 2024 – A total of 180 kg of cocaine in four containers were seized by Dutch customs officers at...
Second cocaine seizure in King Abdullah Port in September
Thuwal, Saudi Arabia (Ports Europe) September 27, 2024 – 54.8 kg of cocaine hidden in a shipment of bananas was discovered at Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea...
Cocaine found in container from Constanta port
Constanta, Romania (Ports Europe) September 26, 2024 – Up to 4,000 kg of cocaine could potentially be extracted from the 71 barrels with 15 tonnes of...
40 kg of cocaine seized at Dublin Port
Dublin, Ireland (Ports Europe) September 25, 2024 – Revenue officers have seized 40 kg of cocaine at Dublin Port. The value is estimated at 2.8 million...
Anti-narcotics office opened in Marseille port
Marseille, France (Ports Europe) September 23, 2024 – French OFAST (L’office anti-stupéfiants, anti-narcotics office) has opened a nine-officer branch...
Over 8 tons of cannabis at the Atlantic port of Safi, Morocco
Casablanca, Morocco (Ports Europe) September 23, 2024 – The General Directorate of National Security (DGSN-Direction Générale de la Sûreté Nationale)...
62 kg of cocaine seized in Antwerp port
Antwerp, Belgium (Ports Europe) September 22, 2024 – 62 kg of cocaine hidden in a container with bananas from Costa Rica were seized on September 20 by...
Colombia seizes cocaine bound for Antwerp, Belgium
San José, Costa Rica (Ports Europe) September 20, 2024 – The authorities have seized around 1 ton of cocaine hydrochloride hidden in a shipment of...