Europol says 49 arrested in cocaine cartel takedown; 30 tonnes of drugs seized

AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - European policing agency Europol said on Monday it had helped co-ordinate the takedown of a cartel managed from the United Arab Emirates believed to control up to a third of Europe's cocaine trade.

Police arrested a total of 49 suspects in raids in Belgium, France, the Netherlands, Spain and the UAE from Nov. 8 to Nov. 19, the agency said.

"The scale of cocaine importation into Europe under the suspects’ control and command was massive," Europol said in a statement, adding that more than 30 tonnes of drugs had been seized during the investigations.

The operation to co-ordinate raids was dubbed "Desert Light" and had been planned over a period of two years.

(Reporting by Charlotte Van Campenhout)