In a coordinated Europol-backed crackdown across Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, and Serbia, authorities apprehended 11 individuals linked to a major cocaine trafficking ring. The operation, which occurred on Tuesday, also led to the seizure of weapons, ammunition, luxury vehicles, watches, and over 1 million euros in cash.
The criminal network is accused of smuggling more than half a tonne of cocaine from South America into the European Union. Europol revealed that the group imported large shipments of cocaine originating from Colombia, routed through Brazil and Ecuador. In March 2021, a significant bust at the Croatian port of Ploče uncovered cocaine hidden in a modified cargo container floor, worth an estimated 50 million euros on the street.
The arrests highlighted the increasing role of Balkan criminals in the global cocaine trade, a trend exposed through the takedown of encrypted communication platforms like EncroChat, Sky ECC, and Anom. So far, 18 suspects have been identified in the investigation, with four already imprisoned and international warrants issued for three others.
Among those arrested was a figure identified by Serbian media as Dragan Mikić, allegedly the leader of the Pink Panthers, a notorious jewelry theft gang. Europol did not confirm his identity but noted that the suspect had been involved in high-value thefts and escaped prison in the early 2000s.
Croatian media reported that the operation occurred just a day after Ecuadorian authorities captured Srđan Jezdimir, known locally as “the Serbian Escobar,” suspected of laundering millions in cocaine profits through Croatian and Slovak companies. During the Balkan raids, authorities also confiscated significant quantities of weapons, ammunition, luxury items, and cash.
One customs officer was arrested on bribery charges, accused of facilitating the network’s evasion of police and customs inspections during drug exports. Europol confirmed that other detainees played various roles in the criminal enterprise, from managing cells to financing operations and coordinating logistics.