The National Unit for Combating Drugs of the Presidium of the Police Force of the Slovak Republic (NPJ PPZ) carried out a large-scale international special operation “LINEA”, aimed at dismantling an organized criminal group involved in the illegal trade of drugs and tobacco products.
The operation took place in cooperation with EUROJUST, EUROPOL, as well as partners from several European countries within a joint investigation team (JIT) and with the help of European investigation orders (EVP).
According to the police, the criminal network was involved in organizing orders, transporting, and distributing drugs, mainly from South and Central America.
During the operation, which involved over 450 police officers from various units across the country, the following was achieved:
22 people were arrested,
42 searches were conducted, 30 of them in Slovakia,
2,276 kg of cocaine worth about 175 million euros were seized,
two illegal cigarette production lines were discovered,
3.5 million cigarettes and 14 tons of tobacco were seized,
as well as cash totaling 367,650 euros and 1.46 million forints.
Investigators have charged ten people—three Hungarian citizens and seven Slovak citizens—with illegal production and distribution of drugs, as well as with establishing and supporting a criminal organization. Additionally, seven Ukrainian citizens who worked at the illegal tobacco factory were detained during the operation.
