Police in Ticino dismantle international drug ring
The Ticino cantonal police worked with authorities in Italy and Spain in an operation that began in 2017 to dismantle the criminal drug network.
Keystone / Carlo Reguzzi
A years-long investigation in southern Switzerland has culminated in the seizure of CHF3 million worth of cannabis and hashish and the arrest of several people involved in a criminal network spanning several European countries.
This content was published on
1 minute
Keystone-SDA/gw
Ticino cantonal police announced on Monday that they had confiscated around 2,000 kg of illegal substances, including cannabis and hashish worth at least CHF3 million ($3.32 million), from a drug ring that extended to Spain, France, The Netherlands, the United Kingdom and Italy.
Working with Italian and Spanish authorities, the Ticino police uncovered financial transactions amounting to €400,000 (CHF434,000) and CHF215,000, and discovered that several million euros had been laundered.
In Ticino investigators had focused on the northern Tre Valli region, from where the suspects reportedly coordinated certain operations, including acting as intermediaries and distributing drugs.
In all the police arrested five men aged between 28 and 49, three of them Ticino residents. Several others were also arrested in Italy and Spain.
The drug ring had been active since 2014.
Popular Stories
More
Climate adaptation
Why Switzerland is among the ten fastest-warming countries in the world
Train vs plane: would you take a direct train between London and Geneva?
Eurostar is planning to run direct trains from Britain to Germany and Switzerland from the early 2030s. Would you favour the train over the plane? If not, why not?
Switzerland is Europe’s most innovative country, EU study finds
This content was published on
An annual analysis by the European Commission notes that the Swiss score dropped slightly this year, but not enough to cost it its top continental spot.
This content was published on
Following a drop already in 2023, the harvest volume again declined last year, as the importance of wood chips for energy production has increased.
Women’s Euro 2025 has been largely peaceful so far
This content was published on
After two weeks of football fever in various Swiss host cities, no major incidents have been reported so far, police say.
Planned solar park at Bern airport scaled back after talks
This content was published on
The ground-mounted plant at Belpmoos Airport outside the Swiss capital will be smaller than originally planned, the parties involved said on Tuesday.
Legal action filed against Swiss purchase of Israeli drones
This content was published on
Legal action aims to put an end to the delivery of the six Elbit reconnaissance drones already plagued by delays and setbacks.
Higher direct payments fail to curb scrub encroachment on alpine pastures
This content was published on
The scrub encroachment on Swiss alpine pastures leads to the loss of grassland and damages the typical landscape. It is also responsible for the decline in biodiversity. Despite higher direct payments, the bushes continue to spread.
Head of Swiss financial regulator’s Banks division quits
This content was published on
Thomas Hirschi, head of the Banks division of the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority FINMA will leave at the end of August.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Tonne of cocaine seized in Switzerland and Hong Kong
This content was published on
Over a tonne of cocaine has been seized in Switzerland and Hong Kong in a trans-European police operation targeting a Balkan drug network.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.