Major blow to billion-euro glass eel trafficking networks

The latest iteration of Operation LAKE, which ran from October 2024 to June 2025, uncovered large-scale trafficking networks and disrupted the flow of live eels destined for illegal farms in Asia.The operation led to:16,131 inspections carried out across Europe26 arrests22 tonnes of glass eels seizedOrganised crime at the heart of traffickingInvestigations revealed that several organised crime groups were driving the trade. EU nationals sourced the eels through fisheries, while Asian nationals managed smuggling routes out of Europe.Once outside the EU, the eels were raised in farms and sold on the global market as legitimate fish products. Europol intelligence estimates that up to 100 tonnes of glass eels are smuggled each year, generating EUR 2.5–3 billion annually in peak years.This black market not only threatens an endangered species but also fuels a range of criminality, from tax evasion and food fraud to document forgery and money laundering.Traffickers relied heavily on forged paperwork to disguise their activities, falsifying catch records and inventing recipients for shipments to evade checks and move tonnes of live eels out of Europe every year.A long-term commitmentOperation LAKE is Europol’s flagship action against glass eel trafficking and one of the longest-running international operations tackling environmental crime. Since its launch, it has resulted in:Over 850 arrests109 tonnes of glass eels seized or prevented from being smuggledEuropol coordinated operational activities and provided intelligence and analysis support throughout the season. Europol experts worked closely with participating authorities, organised operational meetings, and deployed on the ground to support live investigations.Participating partnersFor this year’s edition, Europol brought together more than 20 partners, including law enforcement from EU Member States and third countries, as well as EU institutions:EU Member States: Belgium, Croatia, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovakia, SpainPartner countries: Albania, Canada, Georgia, Switzerland, United Kingdom, United StatesEU institutions and agencies: Eurojust, European Commission (DG SANTE), European Fisheries Control Agency (EFCA), European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF)