Pavel Romo Aguilera did not arrive in Europe as a minor player. Born in Michoacán, Mexico, in 1983—and known in the criminal underworld as “Pablo Icecobar”—he established a network of clandestine methamphetamine laboratories across the Netherlands. He brought in Latin American “cooks,” laundered money using cryptocurrencies, utilized false identities, exported drugs to Germany, and boasted in encrypted messages that he could set up labs wherever he pleased.
His nickname encapsulated his criminal profile: “Pablo,” a nod to the Colombian kingpin Pablo Escobar; and “Ice,” a term commonly used for crystal methamphetamine.
Operating under this alias, Pavel spearheaded an organization that combined Mexican expertise, European logistics, international money laundering, and large-scale production—an operation that eventually came under the intense scrutiny of the Dutch justice system.
Pavel’s criminal career did not begin in Europe. In 2006, he was arrested in the United States for manufacturing methamphetamine. At the time, he attempted to conceal his illicit activities by posing as an avocado farmer; however, he was convicted and served nine years in prison in Dallas, Texas.
Upon regaining his freedom, he did not abandon the trade. Around 2017, he traveled to the Netherlands to resume the production of synthetic drugs. From there, he moved freely across Europe—making occasional trips to Belgium—and utilized false identities alongside his brother, Jorge “N.” (alias “Pequeño Pitón”), who managed to evade authorities and remains a fugitive.
