European police forces have intensified cross-border operations against organized crime, resulting in nearly 50 arrests tied to a Western Balkan drug trafficking network linked to killings, kidnappings and grenade attacks across the continent. The suspects were detained in a coordinated international operation, according to Europol .
In a separate but related crackdown, five high-level suspects were arrested in Spain, Morocco and France for allegedly organizing and recruiting violent crimes, including attacks ordered from abroad. The arrests, conducted in August and September, targeted fugitives featured on the EU Most Wanted list, Europol reported .
Cyprus police also conducted overnight operations, arresting 13 people for offenses including drug possession, burglary and illegal residence, while issuing 281 traffic fines. The sweep involved checks on 700 vehicles, with 127 fines for speeding, according to a police statement .
In the Netherlands, a 26-year-old man from Veldhoven was sentenced to 24 months in prison and fined nearly €900,000 for large-scale trafficking of nitrous oxide, commonly known as laughing gas .
