The Spanish National Police have informed about a significant operation conducted in cooperation with tax and customs authorities, resulting in the confiscation of almost 9.5 tons of cocaine, Euronews has reported.
This marks the largest seizure of drugs in the nation's history.
A substantial amount of illicit substances was uncovered at the port of Algeciras, concealed within boxes of bananas within a shipping container originating from Ecuador.
This operation was the outcome of an inquiry into the actions of a criminal network in Ecuador engaged in trafficking cocaine from South America to Europe.
The investigation unveiled that the organization was operating through a firm in Machala, Ecuador, which specialized in international banana trade. Through this business, the criminal group dispatched maritime containers containing cocaine to various Spanish companies, controlled by certain members of the group.
The authorities determined that the network had the logistical capability to send up to 40 containers each month, with some containing cocaine. Investigators initiated a thorough examination of containers dispatched by the network and uncovered a shipment of 15 containers scheduled to arrive in Europe in early August.
Upon inspecting the containers, law enforcement agents found 9,436 kg of cocaine within one of them. According to the police, the numerous packages of cocaine displayed over 30 distinct logos, corresponding to European criminal organizations intended to receive the shipment.
