Record seizures in INTERPOL operation against drug trafficking

LYON, France - More than 615 tonnes of illicit drugs and precursor chemicals worth USD 1.6 billion have been seized in 31 countries, in an operation coordinated by INTERPOL.

Operation Lionfish Hurricane, undertaken in April and May 2024, led to 206 arrests after targeting drug trafficking networks spanning South America, Africa and Europe.

The operation's unprecedented seizure of 505 tonnes of precursor chemicals, used for manufacturing both drugs and explosives, highlights the significant growth of transnational organized crime groups, and their ability to make weapons.

Additionally, authorities confiscated more than 56 tonnes of cocaine and 52 tonnes of other drugs, including marijuana, ketamine, and tramadol.

'Narco-sub' seized in jungle

The operation's range of seizures underscores the intricate links between various forms of transnational organized crime:

- In Guyana, authorities seized a semi-submersible vessel in the jungle, highlighting the use of homemade 'narco-subs' to transport up to 3 tonnes of cocaine via South American riverways and then across the Atlantic to Western Europe.

- Brazilian authorities arrested 17 members of a drug mule ring traveling separately from Brazil to France, including an individual who had ingested 120 packages of cocaine.

- 30,000 commercial-grade detonators diverted from military or commercial mining use were confiscated across South America, as well as 280 firearms and grenades.

- Colombian police seized 2.1 tonnes of hydrochloric acid and destroyed a jungle factory producing sulfuric acid. Both are used to produce cocaine and homemade explosives.

- In Ghana, a trafficking ring exploiting postal shipments was dismantled after authorities seized 18.8 kg of marijuana in parcels bound for the UK.

- Six tonnes of cocaine hydrochloride that passed through Sierra Leone were seized in Antwerp, Belgium, while another 1.1 tonnes of the same drug concealed in a truck bound for Europe were seized in Senegal. Cocaine hydrochloride is produced as a white powder and is the most common form of cocaine.

- 65 stolen motor vehicles were intercepted in South America and West Africa, including a car recovered in Benin four months after it was stolen in Canada.

INTERPOL's Secretary General Jürgen Stock said:

"The value of drugs seized in this two-month operation is higher than the GDP of some countries, which clearly shows the scale of the problem facing law enforcement.

"Organized crime networks continue to expand their reach and the devastating consequences their activities bring. We will, and must, unite our efforts to combat this national security threat which threatens every country."

INTERPOL's response against illicit drugs

With traffickers evolving from single-drug operations to more complex and diversified poly-crime networks, Lionfish Hurricane involved a multidisciplinary operational support team of experts from different crime areas to boost the overall intelligence picture.

The operation fell under INTERPOL's new I-RAID programme (INTERPOL Response Against Illicit Drugs), a six-year initiative that combats drug trafficking through operations and analysis, capacity building and training, partnerships and outreach, and by targeting crime proceeds.

A dedicated secure drugs analysis platform enables INTERPOL's criminal intelligence analysts to systematically capture, control, analyze, and disseminate drug trafficking information.

Furthermore, the RELIEF database provides advanced tool-mark examination of seized drug packages, detailed analysis including chemical composition, and automated comparisons of logos and marks from pressing plates and cartridges.

The UK Home Office funded the operation which also involved the Maritime Analysis and Operations Centre (Narcotics), WCO, UNODC, and Expertise France.

Since 2013, Lionfish operations have netted seizures worth USD 3.6 billion and 5,617 arrests in 108 countries.

Participating countries in Lionfish Hurricane: 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.