Drug ring taken down in joint sweep across Belgium, the Netherlands and the UK – The investigation led to seizure of 600 kg of drugs, including 225 kg of ketamine

Major Drug Ring Dismantled in Coordinated Sweep Across Belgium, the Netherlands and the UK

Brussels, 17 July 2025 —
A powerful international drug trafficking network has been brought down in a major Europol-supported operation that swept across Belgium, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom earlier this week. The joint crackdown, carried out on 15 July, resulted in seven arrests, multiple house searches and the seizure of over 600 kilograms of drugs, striking a significant blow to organised crime in Europe.

The criminal ring primarily trafficked ketamine but was also deeply involved in smuggling cocaine, heroin, crystal meth, MDMA and drug precursors into Europe. Belgian authorities alone confiscated more than 225 kilograms of ketamine — a substance increasingly misused across European party scenes and beyond.

In total, law enforcement carried out 11 house searches — nine in Belgium, one in the UK and one in the Netherlands. Alongside the large drug haul, officers recovered more than five million euros in cash, highlighting the vast profits generated by the network’s activities.

A Sophisticated, Global Operation

According to Europol, the gang operated far beyond Western Europe, using global contacts and elaborate smuggling techniques to avoid detection. Drugs were concealed in truck cargo and even mail packages intercepted in Belgium — a sign of how traffickers adapt to increasingly vigilant border controls.

The decisive action day in July marked the culmination of months of coordinated investigation, with Europol joining forces with the Federal Judicial Police of East Flanders, the IRC Netherlands, and the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA). Europol’s involvement began in September 2024, when its experts helped coordinate national efforts, facilitated intelligence exchanges and offered operational support, including deploying specialists on the ground during the final raids.

A Persistent Threat to Europe’s Security

Drug trafficking remains one of the biggest criminal threats facing the European Union today. Beyond its direct impact on public health, it fuels violence, corruption, and infiltration of legitimate businesses. Europol continues to warn that tackling well-organised, transnational crime groups demands close cross-border cooperation and sustained pressure.

This latest operation demonstrates what European nations can achieve when they work together — sending a clear message to organised crime networks that no corner of the continent is safe for their illicit business.

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