Last week a joint police operation involving 28 different countries moved to take down a web of networks spread across the Balkans and Eastern Europe. Led by officers from Interpol, Frontex, and EUROPOL, the aim was to tackle the Balkan cartel of gangs trafficking drugs, people, and weapons into Western Europe along the so-called “Balkan Route.” The route is commonly associated with the flow of migrants into Western Europe. However, it is also exploited by mafia organizations who exploit the situation for their own gain.