COPENHAGEN

In a major multinational anti-crime swoop in the Baltic Sea regions, law enforcement apprehended 57 criminals and seized a large quantity of narcotics worth more than $1 million in international markets, as well as some other prohibited substances from their possession, state-run Danish media reported on Monday.

During their coordinated operations in the Baltic Sea region, police from Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Norway, and Iceland arrested 57 people and seized drugs and valuables worth 7.5 million Danish kroner (about $1.13 million), the Danish news outlet DR reported, citing a Swedish police statement.

The operation, led by Sweden under the European platform EMPACT Trident—a key EU instrument for structured multidisciplinary cooperation to combat organised and serious international crime—was focused on organized theft, drug smuggling, illegal waste transport, and money laundering.

Over 20,000 people and 15,000 vehicles were checked in a coordinated effort that stretched from Scandinavia to Central Europe, said the statement.

“We’ve exposed just how entrenched and extensive cross-border crime has become in the Baltic area,” said Mikael Eliasson of the Swedish Police Authority, who led the operation. “By combining intelligence with real-time action, we struck at the core of several criminal operations.”

According to additional information provided by the authorities, 22 arrests were made in Sweden alone, with over 100 criminal cases filed, including for aggravated theft, environmental crimes, and serious drug offenses. Nearly 300 fines were issued on the spot, 13 vehicles transporting unauthorized hazardous waste were intercepted at the border, and 60 people were returned under immigration law.

EMPACT operates in four-year cycles, focusing on the EU's common crime priorities. Organized theft and synthetic drugs are two of the priorities for the 2022-2025 period.