Six Tonnes of Cocaine Found in Banana Shipment
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Loading... - Sullivan Baiss
- 17 Jul 2024
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Sniffer dogs in Ecuador have uncovered a massive 6.23 tonnes of cocaine concealed within a shipment of bananas, according to police reports. The discovery was made at Posorja deepwater port, located southwest of Guayaquil, Ecuador's largest city.
The dogs alerted their handlers during a routine inspection of containers stored at the port. This led to the seizure of 5,630 parcels filled with a white substance that tested positive for cocaine. The shipment, destined for Germany, would have had a street value of approximately $224 million (£173 million) if it had reached its intended destination.
Arrests and Investigation
Following the discovery, five individuals were arrested. Among them was a representative of the export company responsible for the shipment. This individual was present at the inspection and provided officials with the names of the other suspects, who include the managers of the banana plantation where the cocaine was likely added to the shipment, as well as the driver who transported the container to the port.
Ecuador's Role in the Cocaine Trade
Ecuador has increasingly become a significant transit country for cocaine produced in neighboring Peru and Colombia. Transnational criminal organizations exploit Ecuador's ports to transport the drug to Europe and the United States. In 2023, Ecuadorian security forces seized more than 200 tonnes of drugs, primarily cocaine, making it one of the top three countries in drug seizures, following the US and Colombia.
Efforts to Combat Drug Trafficking
President Daniel Noboa has declared a state of emergency in response to the escalating violent crime linked to drug trafficking gangs. Tens of thousands of police officers and soldiers have been deployed in an effort to combat these gangs. Despite these efforts, and some notable successes in drug seizures—including a record 22 tonnes of cocaine found buried on a pig farm in January—violent crime, extortion, kidnappings, and murders remain rampant in the country.
The ongoing efforts of Ecuadorian security forces to intercept drug shipments highlight the severe challenges the country faces in curbing the influence of powerful transnational criminal organizations.
