German authorities seized 35.5 tonnes of cocaine from several ports last summer, with the help of Europol. The scale of the seizures had not been made public previously, and the total street value of the narcotics is estimated to be over 29 billion kronor.
About 24.5 tonnes of the cocaine were seized in Hamburg, Germany, while eight tonnes were seized in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. A further three tonnes were discovered in Guayaquil, Ecuador.
The drugs were hidden among other items, including fruit crates, in freight containers. Seven people have been arrested in recent weeks, suspected of involvement in the drug smuggling.
The smuggling is believed to have taken place between April and September 2023, and is suspected to have been organised by a criminal network controlled from Germany, according to Europol.
