In Ecuador, sniffer dogs have uncovered 6.23 tons of cocaine concealed within a banana shipment at the Posorja deepwater port, located southwest of Guayaquil. The discovery was made during a routine container inspection, where 5,630 parcels of a white substance, later confirmed as cocaine, were seized.
The cocaine was stashed into more than 5,000 individual parcels wrapped in tape / Image: Ecuadorian Prosecutor's Office.
Destined for Germany, the narcotics had an estimated value of $224 million. Following the operation, five individuals were apprehended, including a representative of the exporting company and four others linked to the banana plantation and transportation of the shipment.
This incident underscores Ecuador's role as a significant conduit for cocaine trafficking to Europe and the US, attributed to its strategic location near Peru and Colombia. In response to escalating drug-related violence, the Ecuadorean government has intensified its crackdown on narcotics, with a record seizure of over 200 tons of drugs in the past year.
Source: bbc.com/news