The International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) has caught a huge amount of illegal drugs and chemicals. They found 615 tonnes worth $1.6 billion in 31 countries.
Interpol shared this news on their website on July 30, 2024.
The operation, called “Lionfish Hurricane,” took place from April to May 2024. Nigeria and 29 other countries helped with the mission.
Breakdown of the Seizures
Interpol said they arrested 206 people connected to drug networks in South America, Africa, and Europe.
Countries in the operation included Argentina, Benin, Brazil, Cabo Verde, Cameroon, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Côte d’Ivoire, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Ireland, Netherlands, Nigeria, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Portugal, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Suriname, Togo, United Kingdom, Uruguay, and Venezuela.
They found 505 tonnes of chemicals used to make drugs and explosives. These chemicals show that crime groups can make dangerous items.
They also took more than 56 tonnes of cocaine and 52 tonnes of other drugs like marijuana, ketamine, and tramadol. This shows how different crime groups work together.
Here is a list of what they found:
In Guyana, they found a homemade submarine in the jungle used to carry up to 3 tonnes of cocaine from South America to Europe.
In Brazil, they caught 17 people smuggling drugs, including one person who swallowed 120 packets of cocaine.
They seized 30,000 detonators, 280 guns, and grenades across South America.
In Colombia, they found 2.1 tonnes of acid and destroyed a factory making more acid, both used for making cocaine and explosives.
In Ghana, they found 18.8 kg of marijuana in parcels sent to the UK and stopped a mail smuggling ring.
They caught 6 tonnes of cocaine hydrochloride in Antwerp, Belgium, and 1.1 tonnes in Senegal, both headed for Europe. Cocaine hydrochloride is a common form of cocaine.
They stopped 65 stolen cars in South America and West Africa, including one stolen in Canada and found in Benin in four months.
More Insights
Interpol had a team of experts from different crime areas to help understand the big picture of these crimes during Lionfish Hurricane.
According to Interpol’s Secretary General Jürgen Stock, the value of drugs caught in the two-month operation is more than the GDP of some countries.
He said this shows how big the problem is for law enforcement around the world.
“Crime networks are growing and causing harm. We must team up to fight this global security threat,” he added.
What You Should Know
This operation is part of INTERPOL’s new I-RAID programme (INTERPOL Response Against Illicit Drugs). It is a six-year project to fight drug trafficking with operations, analysis, training, partnerships, and targeting crime money.
The United Kingdom Home Office paid for the operation. The Maritime Analysis and Operations Centre (Narcotics), the United Nations, and French agencies also helped.
Since 2013, the Lionfish operations have caught drugs worth USD 3.6 billion and arrested 5,617 people in 108 countries.
Right now, INTERPOL and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) are having a workshop in Abuja, Nigeria.
Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission is hosting the event for other anti-corruption agencies and law enforcement.