Police swoop on Balkan cartel’s European ‘cocaine pipeline’

MADRID (AP) — Law enforcement agencies from eight European countries have pounced on a Balkan crime organization allegedly running the continent’s largest cocaine distribution network. Officials say they made 61 arrests and seized more than four metric tons (4.4 tons) of the drug. The European Union’s police agency said Monday the cartel set up a “cocaine pipeline” from South America to Spain and other European countries. Europol said it was “flooding Europe with cocaine.” Spanish police say the coordinated international operation involved crime-fighting agencies from Spain, Germany, Croatia, Slovenia, Serbia and Colombia. The investigation also took police to Brazil, the Dominican Republic and Dubai.