- Six tonnes of cocaine found in banana shipment
- Sniffer dogs in Ecuador discovered 6.23 tonnes of cocaine during a routine inspection at Posorja port
- The shipment, destined for Germany, was worth an estimated $224 million
- Five people were arrested, including a representative from the export company and the banana plantation managers
Six tonnes of cocaine found in banana shipment
Sniffer dogs in Ecuador discovered 6.23 tonnes of cocaine hidden in a banana shipment, police reported. The dogs alerted handlers during a routine inspection at Posorja port, leading to the seizure of 5,630 parcels of cocaine. The shipment, destined for Germany, was worth an estimated $224 million.
Five people were arrested, including a representative from the export company and the banana plantation managers. The cocaine was hidden beneath crates of bananas set for export. Ecuador has become a major transit hub for cocaine from Peru and Colombia, with criminal gangs using its ports to ship drugs to Europe and the US.
🇪🇨Six tonnes of cocaine found in banana shipment
— Engaging Topics (@EngagingTopics) July 16, 2024
Sniffer dogs in Ecuador have found 6.23 tonnes of cocaine hidden in a banana shipment, police say.
The dogs alerted their handlers, who seized 5,630 parcels filled with a white substance that later tested positive for cocaine.… pic.twitter.com/vIUBjmbZMZ
In 2023, Ecuadorian forces seized over 200 tonnes of drugs, mostly cocaine, ranking third globally in drug seizures after the US and Colombia. Despite these efforts, violent crime remains high, prompting President Daniel Noboa to declare a state of emergency and deploy security forces.
Earlier this year, the largest cocaine stash ever in Ecuador, 22 tonnes, was found buried on a pig farm. Despite significant seizures, extortion, kidnappings, and murders continue to plague the country.