DRUG TRAFFICKING: Largest Individual Drug Seizure at Rotterdam Port
By Our Correspondent
Dutch customs made the largest-ever drug bust so far at the port of ROTTERDAM by seizing 8 tons of cocaine with an estimated value of $653 million, according to FleetMon.
It stated: “The cocaine was hidden inside a container on a Maersk box ship. The drug container originated from Ecuador and arrived in ROTTERDAM through Panama. The cocaine shipment was hidden inside a consignment of bananas.
“Although the seizure occurred last month the Dutch customs withheld the identity of the shipping company and the vessel involved as they were investigating the case. However, Maersk confirmed to Danish media that the illicit cargo had been transported in one of their containers.
“The 8,064 kgs of cocaine were hidden inside 12 pallets of bananas. Customs officers found the packages with the help of drug detection dogs and a container scan on July 13th.
“This operation eclipses the previous record set in 2021, which saw a seizure of 3.8 tons. Notably, the Netherlands has confiscated 29.7 tons of cocaine this year alone. The contraband has since been destroyed.”
