Daily Sabah logo

Politics
Diplomacy Legislation War On Terror EU Affairs Elections News Analysis
TÜRKİYE
Istanbul Education Investigations Minorities Expat Corner Diaspora
World
Mid-East Europe Americas Asia Pacific Africa Syrian Crisis Islamophobia
Business
Automotive Economy Energy Finance Tourism Tech Defense Transportation News Analysis
Lifestyle
Health Environment Travel Food Fashion Science Religion History Feature Expat Corner
Arts
Cinema Music Events Portrait Reviews Performing Arts
Sports
Football Basketball Motorsports Tennis
Opinion
Columns Op-Ed Reader's Corner Editorial
PHOTO GALLERY
JOBS ABOUT US RSS PRIVACY CONTACT US
© Turkuvaz Haberleşme ve Yayıncılık 2023

Daily Sabah logo

عربي
  • Politics
    • Diplomacy
    • Legislation
    • War On Terror
    • EU Affairs
    • Elections
    • News Analysis
  • TÜRKİYE
    • Istanbul
    • Education
    • Investigations
    • Minorities
    • Expat Corner
    • Diaspora
  • World
    • Mid-East
    • Europe
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Africa
    • Syrian Crisis
    • Islamophobia
  • Business
    • Automotive
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Tourism
    • Tech
    • Defense
    • Transportation
    • News Analysis
  • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Environment
    • Travel
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Science
    • Religion
    • History
    • Feature
    • Expat Corner
  • Arts
    • Cinema
    • Music
    • Events
    • Portrait
    • Reviews
    • Performing Arts
  • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Motorsports
    • Tennis
  • Gallery
  • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Op-Ed
    • Reader's Corner
    • Editorial
  • TV
  • World
  • Mid-East
  • Europe
  • Americas
  • Asia Pacific
  • Africa
  • Syrian Crisis
  • Islamophobia

Cocaine traffic booming during pandemic: Europol

by German Press Agency - DPA

AMSTERDAM Sep 07, 2020 - 11:05 am GMT+3
A member of the police opens a packet with cocaine as a large supply recently seized is displayed to the press at the Portuguese police headquarters in Lisbon, Jan. 8, 2020. (AP Photo)
A member of the police opens a packet with cocaine as a large supply recently seized is displayed to the press at the Portuguese police headquarters in Lisbon, Jan. 8, 2020. (AP Photo)
by German Press Agency - DPA Sep 07, 2020 11:05 am

The illegal narcotics trade has boomed during the coronavirus pandemic, a Europol specialist said on Tuesday.

Cocaine traffic from South America to Europe has reached "record amounts," Sascha Strupp, strategic analyst for drug trafficking at the EU law enforcement agency, told dpa.

"Corona did not have any influence on smuggling via sea routes," Strupp said, calling the narcotics trade a "growing market."

Though it was difficult to estimate exactly how many drugs were smuggled, investigators saw an increase in the number of confiscated drugs.

In the first half of 2020, more than 25,000 kilograms (55,116 pounds) of cocaine were seized in the port of Rotterdam, more than double of what was found in the same period of 2019 – a year in which the 34,000 kilograms of confiscated cocaine had already been a record.

Dutch police last month found the largest cocaine laboratory ever discovered in the Netherlands, which was processing around 200 kilograms of cocaine per day in the town of Nijeveen near the German border.

According to Europol, most cocaine reaches Europe via the Netherlands, Belgium and Spain.

Europol estimates that criminal gangs have recently switched to smuggling drugs mainly via sea routes, hiding them among other merchandise such as medical equipment, as air traffic has almost completely collapsed due to the pandemic.

  • shortlink copied
  • RELATED TOPICS
    fight-against-terrorism DEUTSCHE-BANK US-LIBYA-RELATIONS
    KEYWORDS
    covid-19 outbreak coronavirus europol europe cocaine drug-trafficking
    The Daily Sabah Newsletter
    Keep up to date with what’s happening in Turkey, it’s region and the world.
    You can unsubscribe at any time. By signing up you are agreeing to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
    For the European Union, Cyprus is an instrument to hold Türkiye politically hostage. (Erhan Yalvaç Illustration)

    How to create a united state in Cyprus?

    CYPRUS-ISSUE
    Türkiye's main battle tank Altay is seen in this file photo, Nov. 15, 2012. (Photo by Mesut Er)

    Türkiye inks $200M deal with S.Korean firm for parts of MBT Altay

    altay-tank

    South Korea's KEPCO submits bid to build nuclear plant in Türkiye

    NUCLEAR-ENERGY

    Religion not included in NATO deal with Türkiye: Swedish FM

    TÜRKIYE-SWEDEN-RELATIONS
    No Image
    Tornadoes devastate Texas, leaving destruction behind
    PHOTOGALLERY
    • POLITICS
    • Diplomacy
    • Legislation
    • War On Terror
    • EU Affairs
    • News Analysis
    • TÜRKİYE
    • Istanbul
    • Education
    • Investigations
    • Minorities
    • Diaspora
    • World
    • Mid-East
    • Europe
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Africa
    • Syrian Crisis
    • İslamophobia
    • Business
    • Automotive
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Tourism
    • Tech
    • Defense
    • Transportation
    • News Analysis
    • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Environment
    • Travel
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Science
    • Religion
    • History
    • Feature
    • Expat Corner
    • Arts
    • Cinema
    • Music
    • Events
    • Portrait
    • Performing Arts
    • Reviews
    • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Motorsports
    • Tennis
    • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Op-Ed
    • Reader's Corner
    • Editorial
    • Photo gallery
    • Jobs
    • privacy
    • about us
    • contact us
    • RSS
    © Turkuvaz Haberleşme ve Yayıncılık 2021