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.
Europol seizes around 70 kg of narcotics bound for Malaga
The Hague, Netherlands (Ports Europe) August 26, 2024 – Europol has cooperated with the Spanish (PolicÃa Nacional) and Colombian Police (PolicÃa...
4.2 tonnes of hashish and 46 kg of cocaine seized in Western Sahara
El Guergarat, Western Sahara (Ports Europe) August 25, 2024 – The customs authorities in Dakhla-Oued Eddahab (old name Oued Ed-Dahab-Lagouira) seized 4.2...
211 kg of cocaine arriving via Portugal’s Setubal port seized in Spain
Madrid, Spain (Ports Europe) August 24, 2024 – Spanish police, in collaboration with Portuguese Portuguese Judiciary Police, seized 211 kg of cocaine in...
Maersk to return toxic waste headed for Thailand back to Albania
News Release – Environmental justice groups applaud decision and call on shipping line to return similar wastes they abandoned in China – August...
600 kg of cocaine in avocado shipment seized in Rotterdam port
Rotterdam, Netherlands (Ports Europe) August 19, 2024 – 614 kg of cocaine was seized in the Netherlands’ port of Rotterdam on August 14, the Public...
Cocaine haul in Rosslare Europort
Rosslare, Ireland (Ports Europe) August 15, 2024 – On August 8, 2024, as part of an intelligence-led operation, Revenue officers seized approximately 104...
Authorities seize cocaine in Port of Naples
Naples, Italy (Ports Europe) August 14, 2024 – The customs authorities have seized 188 kilograms of cocaine in the Port of Naples. The drugs came from...
148 kg of cocaine seized in Italy’s Livorno port
Livorno, Italy (Ports Europe) August 13, 2024 – 148 kg of cocaine were seized in Italy’s Mediterranean port of Livorno and three Albanian citizens who...
436 kg heroin seized in Bulgaria’s Burgas port
Burgas, Bulgaria (Ports Europe) August 13, 2024 – 436 kg of heroin were seized at Bulgaria’s Black Sea port of Burgas on August 9, the district...
Authorities seizes 1,700 kilos of cocaine in Barcelona port
Barcelona, Spain (Ports Europe) August 12, 2024 – On July 30, the Civil Guard has seized 1,700 kilos of cocaine among sacks of sugar in the Port of...
Cocaine valued at €23 million seized in Las Palmas, Gran Canaria
Las Palmas, Canary Islands, Spain (Ports Europe) August 12, 2024 – The Guardia Civil and the Customs Surveillance Service of the Spanish Tax Agency have...
Port managers in drugs trial in Breda, Netherlands
Breda, Netherlands (Ports Europe) August 12, 2024 – The trial started of three directors of a Vlissingen port terminal company last Thursday. They are...
Customs agents find 93 kg of cocaine on port of Thessaloniki
Thessaloniki, Greece (Ports Europe) August 11, 2024 -Two days ago, Greek customs agents seized around 93 kilograms of cocaine at the port of Thessaloniki. The...
Authorities seize over €16m worth of cannabis in Rosslare, Ireland
Dublin, Ireland (Ports Europe) August 11, 2024 – Officers of the Revenue and Gardaà have seized over €16m worth of cannabis in Rosslare Europort,...
Fake luxury goods worth €15 mln seized in Port of Trieste
Trieste, Italy (Ports Europe) August 8, 2024 – A joint operation of various official agencies has seized almost 115,000 items of counterfeit luxury...
Over 34 kg of cocaine seized in Piraeus port
Piraeus, Greece (Ports Europe) August 6, 2024 – 34.4 kg cocaine valued at more than 1 million euros was discovered by Greek officials with the help of...
Drug trafficking moves from Algeciras port to Marbella
Marbella, Spain (Ports Europe) July 31, 2024 – Drug trafficking gangs are increasingly moving their operations to Spain’s Marbella because of a...
800 kg cocaine for port of Antwerp seized in Columbian port of Buenaventura
Buenaventura, Colombia (Ports Europe) July 30, 2024 – 796 kilograms of cocaine destined for the Belgium port of Antwerp was discovered in Columbia’s...
Port of Oslo flooded with drugs
Oslo, Norway (Ports Europe) July 30, 2024 – The mayor of Norway’s capital and main port Oslo, Anne Lindboe, said drugs worth up to 677 million euro...
4 tonnes of cocaine seized in Barcelona port
Barcelona, Spain (Ports Europe) July 28, 2024 – More than 4,000 kg of cocaine were seized in Spain’s Barcelona port on July 26. The drug was hidden in rice...