Authorities have seized more than $1 billion worth of cocaine in one of Germany’s biggest drugs hauls ever.
According to the reports, the investigators have come across 4.5 tons of the drug after they were alerted of a ‘suspicious shipment’ by Hamburg customs office.
The $1.1 billion worth of cocaine came to light after customs officials picked interested in a shipping container with 221 sports bags full of drugs.
As the authorities revealed, the shipping container was bound for Antwerp, Belgium, and originated in Montevideo, Uruguay.
“This enormous amount represents the largest single seizure of cocaine in Germany. The confiscated cocaine was destroyed under strict and extensive security measures,” the customs office confirmed in a statement.
According to the local media, the sports bags were supposed to be loaded with soybeans. Instead, however, the inspectors found they were filled with packs of pressed cocaine.
The 221 sports bags carried a total of 4,200 packets of cocaine.
“Assuming that this probably very pure cocaine can be diluted to triple the amount for street sale, the 4.5 tons have a street value of approximately one billion euros,” the customs officials added.
The authorities are now working to find out more about the illegal shipment, particularly who was about to receive the container and distribute the drugs.
The shocking discovery presents Germany’s biggest cocaine haul ever and beats the previous record-holder. Back in 2017, the authorities seized 3.8 tons of the drug at the same port.
The Hamburg port in northern Germany is a gateway to Europe and one of the busiest ports on the continent.
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Replaced!