Police in Lisbon have uncovered a stash of highly pure cocaine with a street value of €30 million hidden inside a shipment of bananas from Latin America.
The haul, marking Portugal’s second major bust in 12 months, contained 825 kilograms, or nearly 2,000 pounds, of the illicit substance, detectives said yesterday. At the end of last year, authorities seized 430 kilograms worth around €15 million.
Detectives said the cocaine was recently found inside banana boxes heading on their way to a plethora of other European countries. They did not give further details, citing the ongoing investigation.
Concealing cocaine in bananas from South America is a common practice among traffickers. Over the past year, authorities in the United States, China and Germany have also found large quantities of cocaine hidden in such shipments.
Portugal however has a higher rate than average when it comes to drug trafficking, as it is considered a “transit country” for the international trafficking of cocaine and hashish from Latin America, Morrocco and the Caribbean to other countries, especially within the European Union.
