Italian authorities seize $290M cocaine haul hidden among banana pallets
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Italian authorities seized nearly 1,700 pounds of cocaine hidden among banana pallets at a major port, officials said Tuesday.
According to the Italian Guardia di Finanza, the drugs were divided into 650 packages and “expertly hidden” inside a refrigerated shipping container arriving at the port of Vado Ligure from one of Ecuador’s main ports.
Authorities said that the substance was determined to be “extremely pure cocaine” in the field test conducted during the inspection.
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The drugs were split into 650 packages and “artfully concealed” inside a refrigerated shipping container. (Italian Border Police / AP)
Officials said the raid was one of the largest anti-drug operations carried out at the port in recent years.
If the shipment reached the street market, an estimated revenue of 250 million euros, or approximately $290 million, could be generated.
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Officials said the raid was one of the largest anti-drug operations carried out at the port in recent years. (Italian Border Police / AP)
The seizure followed a comprehensive analysis of commercial shipping routes connecting South America to Vado Ligure, a major gateway for goods entering Europe and an “attractive” target for international drug traffickers, according to authorities.
“The operation forms part of the ongoing and targeted effort to combat international drug trafficking, including efforts to protect the most vulnerable segments of the population who are often exposed to the harmful effects of such criminal activities,” Guardia di Finanza said. he said.
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Had the shipment reached the street market, it could have generated an estimated 250 million euros, or roughly $290 million. (Italian Border Police / AP)
The seizure comes weeks after U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers discovered more than 1,100 pounds of cocaine hidden in a commercial tractor trailer carrying cabbage at Texas’ Pharr Port of Entry.
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CBP said the canine examination and non-intrusive imaging scan alerted officers to the hidden cargo. A physical search of the trailer uncovered 477 packages containing 1,173 pounds of cocaine with an estimated street value of approximately $10.8 million.
Fox News Digital’s Leo Briceno contributed to this report.
