Police take down cocaine ‘super cartel’ in Europe, arrest 49
PBS NewsHourNov 27, 2022
Police Bust Cocaine 'Super-Cartel' in Dubai, Europe
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Image copyright: Shuttershock [via The Times of Malta]
The Facts
At least 49 people have been arrested across Dubai and Europe as a result of an international operation aimed at dismantling a drugs "super-cartel." According to Europol, who conducted the investigation, the group controlled a third of Europe's cocaine trade.
Known as "Operation Desert Light," the two-year-long investigation reportedly resulted in the seizure of more than 30K kilos of drugs, and the collaboration of authorities in Spain, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, and the UAE.
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
The execution of this operation shows that drug lords cannot continue to illicitly accumulate wealth and power unchecked in today's Europe. Europol have pulled off an astounding victory and dented the illegal drugs market irreparably in the process.
Establishment-critical narrative
Tackling organized crime is certainly part of the solution to the drug problem, but the legalization of illicit substances would be a far more effective way to undermine their power and profits. Politicians and government agencies need to stop thinking so much about their public image and more about effective policy.
