Latin American Crime Networks Expanded Across Europe
Criminal organizations from Latin America have increased their influence, driving a surge in drug seizures across Europe.
Updated on Oct. 13, 2026 in Drug Crime
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Latin American criminal networks have successfully expanded their operations into at least 12 European countries. This expansion coincides with a 471 percent increase in European cocaine seizures between 2014 and 2024.
Why it matters
The expansion is driven by European markets, which offer significantly higher profit margins for illicit drug sales than those found in the United States. Criminal groups have solidified their presence by forming strategic partnerships with local European mafia organizations.
European authorities have dismantled an increasing number of local laboratories processing cocaine derivatives and discovered Mexican-run methamphetamine labs in France, Poland, and Germany. Global production hit approximately 4,100 tonnes in 2024 with 385,000 hectares of coca cultivation.
The players
Europol
This is the European Union agency for law enforcement cooperation that assists member states in their fight against international organized crime and terrorism.
UNODC
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime is a global leader in the fight against illicit drugs and international crime.
The details
Criminal groups operate through a sophisticated structure of brokers, active members, cells, and operational networks. Europe now accounts for approximately 25 percent of global cocaine consumption as production reaches record levels.
Timeline
In the 1980s, Colombian cartels established their initial footholds in Spain.
Europol issued a warning regarding the rising presence of criminal networks in 2013.
Cocaine seizures in Europe increased by 471 percent between 2014 and 2024.
Global cocaine production reached record levels during 2024.
The UNODC published the World Drug Report on illicit crimes in 2026.
Legal Context
The current expansion of Latin American networks in Europe demonstrates a severe escalation of the trends first identified in the 2013 Europol warning on criminal network presence. Authorities are now managing a landscape where 149 of the most threatening criminal networks in Europe maintain links to foreign organizations.
The rise in illicit laboratory discoveries and network activity may lead to heightened security measures and increased law enforcement presence in affected regions. Residents in areas with documented criminal activity may notice stepped-up surveillance as European agencies work to disrupt these cells.
The takeaway
Criminal organizations have evolved from simple transit groups into complex international cells with deep local ties. Reducing the impact of these networks requires enhanced cooperation between European and Latin American law enforcement agencies.
Further reading
Learn more about transnational enforcement efforts on the Drug Crime section page.
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