Serbian drug lord shot dead in Barcelona amid Europe's cocaine trade violence

A Serbian drug lord sought by Belgian authorities was shot dead in broad daylight on a busy Barcelona street on Wednesday, Spanish police confirmed, ending a manhunt that had spanned Europe. The victim, identified by Catalan police as 42-year-old Marko Lukić, was gunned down in a daylight execution-style shooting on Barcelona’s bustling Carrer de Balmes at around 14:30 local time. Mossos d’Esquadra, Catalonia’s regional police force, stated that Lukić had been living under an assumed identity and was wanted by Belgian authorities for his alleged role in a major cocaine trafficking network operating through the Port of Antwerp .

Belgian federal prosecutor’s office confirmed Lukić’s involvement in the Antwerp-based smuggling operation, which authorities say was responsible for importing large quantities of cocaine into Europe via the Belgian port. “This individual was a key figure in a criminal network that exploited the Port of Antwerp’s logistical infrastructure,” a spokesperson for the prosecutor’s office told *La Libre Belgique* . The operation, dismantled in early 2025, had ties to Balkan-based crime syndicates and was linked to multiple high-profile drug seizures across the continent.

The execution-style killing in Barcelona underscores the escalating violence within Europe’s cocaine trade, where rival factions increasingly resort to public assassinations to eliminate competitors or send warnings. Catalan police have launched a full investigation, with forensic teams examining the scene and reviewing surveillance footage from the area. Authorities believe the shooting was carried out by professional hitmen, though no arrests have been made.

The killing comes amid heightened scrutiny of Balkan crime networks operating across Western Europe. Earlier this week, a Belgian court sentenced Paolo Falzone to 27 years in prison for deliberately driving into a crowd of carnival revellers in Strépy-Bracquegnies in 2022, killing seven people and injuring 79 others . Meanwhile, legal proceedings in the Balkans continue to unfold, with a Belgrade appeals court this week upholding the acquittal of a Bosnian Serb commander accused of war crimes during the Srebrenica genocide .

As European law enforcement agencies intensify cross-border cooperation, the death of Lukić marks a significant blow to one of the continent’s most entrenched drug trafficking networks. However, analysts warn that the power vacuum left by his demise could trigger further violence among rival groups vying for control of the Antwerp-to-Balkan cocaine route. The Belgian federal prosecutor’s office has reiterated its commitment to dismantling the remaining cells of the network, with coordinated raids planned in the coming weeks.