Aiexpress – British authorities announced on Friday that they had made a monumental discovery – over 12,500 pounds of cocaine concealed within a cargo of bananas. This remarkable seizure marks a new record for the largest single confiscation of illicit drugs in the country.
The National Crime Agency has reported the discovery of 5.7 tons of cocaine in a container of bananas at the port of Southampton on England’s south coast on Feb. 8. According to the agency, the seized drugs are estimated to have a street value of $568 million.
The previous largest drug seizures in the U.K. were a 3.7-ton haul of cocaine discovered in Southampton two years ago and 3.2 tons found on a tug boat in Scotland in 2015, according to the agency.
Officials suspect that the packages of cocaine discovered recently were hidden within a shipment of bananas originating from South America. It is believed that the drugs were intended to be transported to Hamburg, Germany, for further distribution.
“This significant seizure will have a major impact on the international organized crime cartels involved, depriving them of substantial profits,” stated NCA Director Chris Farrimond. He further added, “Although the consignment was destined for continental Europe, there is no doubt that a significant portion would have made its way back to the U.K., where it would have been sold by criminal gangs operating within the country.”
According to the NCA, criminal gangs generate over $5 billion annually from the cocaine market in Britain. In recent years, this market has experienced a significant increase in violence.
Authorities have announced that they are collaborating with international partners to identify the criminal networks connected to the historic seizure.
In recent incidents, illegal drugs have been uncovered in banana shipments across Europe. A notable occurrence took place in August when authorities in the Netherlands confiscated a staggering 17,600 pounds of cocaine expertly concealed within crates of bananas at Rotterdam’s port. Another incident occurred three months earlier in the Italian port of Gioia Tauro, where a police dog successfully detected a significant haul of 3 tons of cocaine hidden amidst a shipment of bananas. These instances underscore the ongoing challenges faced by authorities in combating drug trafficking.
According to the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction, there has been a significant increase in the seizure of cocaine in Europe in recent years. The statistics reveal that ports in the Netherlands, Spain, and Belgium are responsible for more than 70% of these seizures.
Colombia is responsible for producing approximately 60% of the global cocaine supply.
Just one day after the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency made the largest single seizure of methamphetamine at a U.S. port, a record-breaking seizure was announced in England. In Texas, officers had seized a staggering 6.5 tons of methamphetamine, solidifying its place as the largest seizure ever made at a U.S. port.
