The lengthy investigation, which included collaboration by Geneva police, Swiss customs officers and police in the Netherlands and Germany, focused on cocaine dealers of West African origin operating in the towns of Yverdon-les-Bains and Vevey in western Switzerland.
The investigators found that the gang had imported “several hundred” kilos of cocaine into Switzerland, but did not specify the time period or overall amount. The seizure of nearly 14 kg of cocaine is one of the largest ever made in canton Vaud.
In all, 13 people were arrested, aged between 28 and 51, the police said in a statement on Tuesday. They included six Nigerians, five of whom were living in Switzerland, two Romanians and two Poles all living in the Netherlands, two Germans in Germany and an Albanian woman living in Switzerland. Almost all of the drug mules were of European origin, while the others were responsible for managing the trafficked cocaine, the police noted in a statement on TuesdayExternal link.
The police also seized over CHF91,000 ($90,733) and €54,000 in cash. Those arrested are being held in Switzerland.
Cocaine use in Swiss cities is among the highest in Europe. In March of this year, the Portugal-based European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug AddictionExternal link identified Barcelona, Spain, as the overall cocaine capital of Europe. But five Swiss cities featured in the centre’s top ten: Zurich ranked second, St Gallen fourth, Geneva fifth, Basel eighth, and Bern ninth.
The statistics come from a European wastewater study of 56 cities in 19 countries.
Popular Stories
More
Swiss Abroad
Aussie adoptee gains Swiss citizenship at 54 thanks to old envelope
Should Switzerland take measures to support its struggling industries?
Industrial policies are back in fashion, not only in the United States but also in the EU. Should Switzerland, where various industries are struggling, draw inspiration from such policies?
Several Swiss municipalities and banks hit by cyberattack
This content was published on
Russian hackers attacked the websites of several Swiss municipalities and banks on Tuesday, just as the World Economic Forum (WEF), got under way in Davos.
Music strengthens brain connections in premature babies, Swiss study shows
This content was published on
In premature babies, music strengthens connections in certain areas of the brain, according to a years-long study by the University Hospitals of Geneva (HUG).
WEF gives Crystal Award to Beckham, Yamamoto and von Fürstenberg
This content was published on
The World Economic Forum in Davos handed out awards to UNICEF ambassador David Beckham, Japanese architect Riken Yamamoto and women's rights activist Diane von Fürstenberg.
Swiss CEOs betting on a strong domestic market in 2025
This content was published on
Swiss business leaders are optimistic about 2025, despite a world in crisis, says a new survey by Pricewaterhouse Coopers.
This content was published on
Economics Minister Guy Parmelin and Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis have welcomed Chinese Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang to Bern
Michelle Hunziker to co-present Eurovision Song Contest
This content was published on
Swiss-Italian television moderator Michelle Hunziker will be one of the presenters of the 2025 Eurovision Song Contest (ESC), scheduled for May 13-17 in Basel.
Seniors face high public transport costs in Switzerland
This content was published on
Public transport ticket prices for adults in Switzerland are around the European average, according to a study. Swiss senior citizens and business travellers tend to pay more.
This content was published on
The amount of unproductive land in Switzerland has hardly changed in recent decades. Nationwide, it shrank by around 2% between 1985 and 2018.
Rescue teams had hands full at Lauberhorn ski race
This content was published on
From broken bones to heart attacks, the rescue teams had a busy weekend at the Ski World Cup in Wengen, which attracted a record 80,000 fans.
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
Swiss police seize CHF2 million worth of heroin
This content was published on
Police in Switzerland have seized 14 kilograms of heroin worth over CHF2 million ($2 million) during a cross-border investigation.
This content was published on
On weekends, Zurich is Europe’s cocaine hot spot. During the week it is second only to Barcelona, finds a wastewater study.
This content was published on
Bern, Zurich, Geneva and Lucerne are hot spots for cocaine, according to Christoph Ort, from the Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology (Eawag). “The amounts of cocaine in the sewage of these cities were in the same range as those European cities with the highest consumption,” declared the Swiss researcher. Ort participated in…
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.