Arrests across three countries
Police arrested 36 people in an operation against a suspected Western Balkan drug-trafficking network, with nearly 50 suspects arrested in total when earlier arrests are included. The operation’s main action day was 6 October, when officers searched 42 properties in Slovenia and Spain.
Slovenian police made 34 arrests, while one person was arrested in Spain and one in Croatia. Eleven other suspects had already been arrested before the operation day. Authorities seized 66 kilograms of drugs during the action: 51kg of cannabis and 15kg of amphetamine. Firearms, jewellery and cash were also seized, although no quantities were specified.
The investigation involved authorities in Slovenia, Spain and Croatia. Representatives from 22 countries took part in the wider inquiry, with Europol providing analytical support. A coordination centre in Ljubljana brought together a Europol expert and a Croatian investigator to support investigators in the field and coordinate arrests across borders in real time.
Suspected trafficking and violence
Investigators suspect that members concealed large drug shipments in legitimate commercial freight. The inquiry linked the network to shootings, murders and attempted killings, as well as the kidnapping of one member. It also identified an attempted murder in Spain. The allegations concern suspects and are not findings of guilt.
Investigators say violence was used after shipments failed or disputes arose, with members and their families allegedly targeted in retaliatory attacks. Explosive devices, including hand grenades, were used in some attacks, which primarily targeted people connected to the group or their families.
The network allegedly used encrypted communications platforms, including SKY ECC and CryptCom, to coordinate drug movements and communicate. Drivers, mainly from Slovenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Bulgaria, were recruited to move drugs in trucks, vans and cars alongside legitimate goods.
The investigation identified shipments of cocaine, cannabis, amphetamine, MDMA and methamphetamine moving from Belgium, the Netherlands and Spain to other European countries. The group included nationals of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia, alongside suspects from Slovenia, Bulgaria, Türkiye and the Netherlands.
Seizures and expected proceedings
Authorities said that between February 2022 and September 2026 they seized 253kg of cocaine, 404kg of cannabis, 18.8kg of methamphetamine and 825g of MDMA. They also reported seizing 550 litres of acetic anhydride, a chemical precursor used in drug production, as well as firearms and ammunition.
Investigators say communications and other evidence allowed them to reconstruct further suspected drug movements beyond the shipments physically seized. Suspects are expected to face prosecution in connection with estimated additional quantities including about 2.5 tonnes of cannabis, 474kg of cocaine, 104kg of heroin, 30kg of amphetamine and 11.6kg of MDMA. The stated amounts also include ketamine, hashish, ecstasy tablets and psychoactive mushrooms. These are quantities linked to expected prosecutions, not drugs seized during the October action.
The operation is a substantial enforcement result, but arrests and allegations do not establish criminal responsibility. Any prosecutions and subsequent court findings will determine the cases against individual suspects.
The expected case quantities also include approximately 1kg of ketamine, 1kg of hashish, 18,000 ecstasy tablets and 1,000 units of psychoactive mushrooms. Investigators identified a further 45 litres of oil intended for amphetamine production. Those figures are based on the inquiry’s reconstruction of alleged activity and are separate from the amounts seized. The operation-day haul was limited to the 66kg of cannabis and amphetamine reported above, alongside non-drug items. The distinction matters: the investigation describes a much wider suspected trafficking picture than the physical seizures from the searches.
