The Netherlands seizes a record-breaking cocaine haul worth roughly 600 million Euros or more than $660 million.
In a statement on Thursday, August 10, the Dutch prosecutor's office says the record-breaking seizure of 8,064 or 17,600 pounds of cocaine is the largest ever in the country.
Netherlands Seizes Massive Cocaine Hidden in Banana Cargo
A Belgian Malinois dog of a customs K9 unit inspects crates during a demonstration on the sidelines of a joint press briefing of the Belgian and Dutch customs authorities on the cocaine intercepted in the Antwerp and Rotterdam harbours in 2022, in Beveren, on January 2023. - Belgian police seized a record 109,9 tonnes of cocaine at the port of Antwerp in 2022, amid mounting concern over the power of international gangs. Belgium's main container terminal is now considered the main gateway for illegal drugs into Europe.
The Netherlands has once again proven its mettle on the global stage by smashing a record for the largest cocaine bust ever. This time, the Dutch authorities have seized a staggering 600 million euros worth of cocaine cunningly concealed within a shipment of innocent-looking bananas.
According to CBS News, Netherlands customs agents found 17,600 illicit drugs ingeniously stashed away amidst a banana cargo. The authorities scanned the container, which hid the record-breaking cocaine haul, last July 13. The authorities recall that the agents successfully got the cocaine by searching the pallets.
Although the discovery happened last July 13, the authorities only divulged information on the record-shattering seizure on Thursday, citing the ongoing investigation.
As per Bloomberg, The Rotterdam public prosecutor's office confirmed that the cocaine haul came from Ecuador, which was then shipped via Panama to the Netherlands.
The Associated Press News pointed out that the disclosure of the record-breaking drug seizure comes a day after Ecuador's presidential candidate, Fernando Villavicencio, died. The former Assembly member, known for his strong stance against drug cartels and rampant corruption, was shot by gunmen to death at his campaign event.
In a recent statement, Netherlands Benefits and Customs State Secretary Aukje De Vries says, "The record seizures in the harbors of Rotterdam and Antwerp are illustrative of the size of the drug smuggling problem in both countries." With that in mind, De Vries divulges that the nations are already working hand in hand to "obtain and study radiographic images from Latin America."
Although the Dutch authorities have already destroyed the illegal drugs, they are still investigating the incident. They have yet to announce any arrests made.
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Drug Trade in Europe
The monumental bust sheds light on the proliferation of the drug trade in the European region.
Bloomberg notes that the European Monitoring Center for Drugs and Drug Addiction reports that European Union countries have seized roughly 303 tons of cocaine as early as 2021. And it turns out that most of these shipments arrive in Rotterdam and Antwerp, hiddenly stashed in fruit and vegetable cargos from Latin America.
Last year, or in 2022, to be precise, the Netherlands planned to kick off a staunch war against drug trafficking to the tune of $30 million. The multi-million funding covers the expansion of customs officers, which would work closely with customs officers in Latin America.
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