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 4 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.