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.
250 kilos of cocaine in a shipment in the port of Rotterdam
Rotterdam, Netherlands (Ports Europe) March 18, 2024 – The local customs authorities has discovered 250 kilos of cocaine in a shipment of grapes in the...
Authorities discover 1.3 tonnes of hashish in Tanger Med
Tanger Med, Morocco (Ports Europe) March 18, 2024 – The authorities have found 1.3 tonnes of hashish (cannabis resin) in a Moroccan-registered...
One tonne of cocaine seized in Le Havre port
Le Havre, France (Ports Europe) March 14, 2024 – French customs seized more than 1,000 kg of cocaine in the country’s second-largest port of Le Havre...
Spanish ports as Europe’s entry gates for drugs
Valencia, Spain (Ports Europe) March 13, 2024 – Over the past year, cocaine seizures in Spain have broken all historical records, reaching 100,000 kg...
130 kilos of marijuana found in a truck at the port of Livorno
Livorno, Italy (Ports Europe) March 8, 2024 – A stash of 130 kilos of marijuana was discovered in a truck arriving at the port of Livorno from Spain. The...
Europol: EU Drug Markets, Analysis – 2024
Brussels, Belgium (Ports Europe) March 7, 2024 – Europol has published its annual report entitled “EU Drug Markets, Analysis – 2024”....
More drugs seized in St. Petersburg port
St. Petersburg, Russia (Ports Europe) March 7, 2023 – Some 11 kg of cocaine were seized in Russia’s Big Port of St. Petersburg on the Baltic Sea, the...
Synthetic drugs worth €32.8 million seized at Cork Port
Cork, Ireland (Ports Europe) February 27, 2024 – Yesterday, Irish Revenue officers seized 546kg of synthetic drugs with an estimated value of €32.8...
55 kg cocaine seized in Port of Livorno
Livorno, Italy (Ports Europe) February 23, 2024 – The authorities in Livorno have discovered 55 kg of pure cocaine hidden in a container at the port....
4,350 kg illegal drugs seized on ‘Atlantic cocaine route’
Tenerife, Spain (Ports Europe) February 20, 2024 – A speed boat with 4,350 kg of cocaine from South America was intercepted 920 km south of the Canary...
One killed, 8 hostages, 2,300 kg cocaine near Canary Islands
Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain (Ports Europe) February 20, 2024 – Eight hostages were freed in November 2023 from Sea Paradise, a Panama-flagged towing...
Belgium: Customs seizes 10 million cigarettes in Zeebrugge
News Release – Belgian customs have intercepted a container with almost 11 million (10,830,000) Chinese cigarettes in Zeebrugge, worth 5.2 million euros...
St. Petersburg port and drugs
St. Petersburg, Russia (Ports Europe) February 20, 2024 – More than 1,200 kg of cocaine was seized in the Big Port of St. Petersburg in January in a...
Eight tons of cocaine found in Port of Algeciras
Algeciras, Spain (Ports Europe) February 12, 2024 – Officials from the Customs Surveillance Service of the Tax Agency have seized eight tons of cocaine...
Two policemen killed when drug smugglers rammed boat in Barbate port
Barbate, Spain (Ports Europe) February 12, 2024 – Two police (Guardia Civil) officers were killed and two others injured in a boat chase of drug...
Authorities find 27 kg of cocaine in container of bananas, Livorno
Livorno, Italy (Ports Europe) February 12, 2024 – Officials of the anti-fraud department of the Livorno Customs office have found 25 blocks of pure...
Cocaine valued at €2.8 mln seized at Port of Piraeus
Piraeus, Greece (Ports Europe) February 9, 2024 – The authorities in Piraeus port have found cocaine valued at €2.8 million hidden in containers. They...