A dozen individuals involved in a major international cocaine trafficking network have been convicted, following a successful collaboration between the Luxembourg and Arlon public prosecutor’s offices.
The group concealed cocaine in concrete slabs poured in Luxembourg before transporting the drugs to the UK, according to a statement released by the Luxembourg public prosecutor’s office on Tuesday.
During the week of 6 January, the Liège Court of Appeal sentenced the defendants for their roles in the operation. Sentences of up to 11 years’ imprisonment were handed down, and €2 million in illicit profits were confiscated. These penalties reflect both the severity of the crimes and the substantial profits generated by the trafficking network.
The operation came to light in November 2022, when police discovered 115 kilogrammes of cocaine hidden in a warehouse in Arlon. The drugs, divided into 103 packages weighing over 1 kilogramme, were valued at approximately €11.5 million at the time.
The discovery and subsequent dismantling of the operation were the result of “excellent international cooperation” between the public prosecutors’ offices of Arlon and Luxembourg, as well as collaboration between examining magistrates and law enforcement agencies in both countries.
Coordinated and simultaneous searches conducted in Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, and Serbia ultimately led to the network’s downfall. The Belgian Federal Police and the Luxembourg Criminal Police’s Drugs Section played key roles in the investigation.
Luxembourg’s judicial and police authorities, who are actively involved in international criminal investigations, play a crucial role in investigations initiated by foreign jurisdictions.
The public prosecutor’s office emphasised that “the relentless work of the Luxembourg teams, even beyond the country’s borders, is bearing fruit, contributing to shared judicial successes in the fight against organised crime, which knows no borders.”
