Spanish Authorities Seize Record-Breaking 9.5 Tons of Cocaine in Banana Shipment from Ecuador
A staggering 9.5 tons of cocaine, a new record haul, was intercepted by Spanish authorities in a refrigerated banana container destined for 30 European drug rings. The breakthrough discovery took place at the southern port of Algeciras.
Marked with 30 logos corresponding to distinct European criminal networks set to receive the illicit cargo, the shipment’s boxes were linked to major drug rings across the continent, although no specific organizations were named.
In a significant statement, the police remarked, “This operation was an unprecedented blow to one of the world’s most important criminal organizations in cocaine distribution, targeting major criminal networks in Europe.”
Ecuador’s criminal organization operated through an expansive network that utilized an international banana trading company located at the country’s primary banana port, Machala. This network facilitated the shipment of drugs to Spain, predominantly to the ports of Algeciras and Vigo in the northwest. They managed to transport as many as 40 containers each month, some containing narcotics.
Despite being labeled as containers for 1,080 bananas, the boxes harbored a massive quantity of cocaine. The Spanish tax agency’s senior official, Jose Carlos Arobes, revealed this detail.
The investigation commenced in July when authorities received intelligence regarding a forthcoming shipment of Colombian cocaine scheduled to enter Spain via Ecuador in August, concealed within a banana shipment.
The cocaine cache, concealed among banana boxes, had been intended to transit through Spain en route to Portugal.
As of now, no arrests have been made in connection with this operation.
Before this seizure, Spain’s largest cocaine bust amounted to 8.4 tons in 2018, also intercepted within a banana shipment.