Swiss police catch more than a dozen drug dealers in Verbier bust

GENEVA (Reuters) – Swiss police have arrested 15 drug traffickers operating around the mountain resort of Verbier in the biggest ever crackdown on the surrounding canton of Valais, police said on Tuesday.

Police say a months-long investigation revealed that 15 French nationals were involved in the canton’s record drug trade. They are suspected of dealing more than 10 kilograms of cocaine, as well as smaller quantities of ketamine, ecstasy and cannabis, some of which were seized.

“This is the first case in terms of the scale of arrests and seizures made. The investigation is ongoing and should lead to further arrests,” Valais police said in a statement.

Verbier, a French-speaking Alpine village located in the southern French-speaking canton, is one of the most expensive ski resorts in the world, where the party scene is as famous as its slopes.

Police said drug use was unlikely to be limited to the Verbier region, noting that cocaine use had generally increased across the canton.