By GMM News | 2024-11-09 | Case Security |

Spanish authorities have seized 13 tons of cocaine hidden in a container of bananas at the port of Algeciras, the largest cocaine seizure in Spain’s history and one of the largest in the world.

The seizure of the container, which arrived from Guayaquil, Ecuador, was part of a coordinated effort between Spain’s national police and Ecuadorian officials, who stopped the shipment based on the exporter’s past history of illegal trafficking.

The 13,065 kilograms of cocaine were hidden behind a screen of banana boxes in the container, carefully arranged to evade inspection.

However, Spanish Customs Surveillance Service and National Police officials inspected the shipment using the Tax Agency’s Specialized ‘Medusa’ mobile scanner, detecting bricks of cocaine packed within.

This is Spain’s second-largest drug bust in a single container across Europe, only surpassed by a recent 35.5-ton seizure in Germany.

The importer, a Spanish company, had been receiving large fruit shipments from Ecuador for years, making it difficult for officials to analyze and identify contaminated consignments.

After the seizure, Spanish authorities conducted five targeted raids in Alicante and Madrid, arresting one suspect, a female partner in the importing company.The other two managers linked to the operation are on the run.

Officials in Spain reported intercepting almost 142 tons of cocaine last year, with an increase in drug influx positioning Spain as a crucial entry point for narcotics in Europe.

The increased port security in Belgium and the Netherlands, two former main drug gateways, has intensified trafficking activities through Spanish ports.

Per the Spanish Police Sources, the seizure shows the scale of operations intended to distribute drugs across Europe.

In a statement, António Jesús Martínez, the head of Spain’s central narcotics brigade, said that the seized cocaine was likely destined for European distribution due to the country’s limited domestic capacity.

The Algeciras seizure comes after a previous record of 9.4 tons of cocaine that were seized in a shipment from Ecuador in 2023.

References: Euro News, ABC News