International

Ecuador seizes over 500 kilos of cocaine hidden in bananas bound for Russia

Ecuador seized more than 500 kilos of cocaine hidden in a container of export bananas destined for Russia, the police reported this Sunday.

The discovery took place during the ‘Poseidón XLIV’ operation conducted on Saturday at a maritime port in Guayaquil, where a thorough inspection revealed 573 brick-shaped packages containing cocaine.

The Ports and Airports Information Unit (UIPA) and the Regional Canine Training Center (CRAC) identified the container, which held a shipment of bananas concealing a total of 526,686 grams of cocaine headed for Russia, according to a police statement.

Citizens Andrew C. and Andrés A. were arrested for investigative purposes.

As evidence, three cell phones, a tractor-trailer, a container, and several shipping seals were obtained, which will aid in ongoing investigations to dismantle this drug trafficking network.

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The police action prevented more than 5.2 million doses of drugs from reaching the streets, said the authorities, who estimate that the operation caused a financial loss of more than $21 million to the criminal groups.

Bordering Colombia and Peru, the world’s two largest cocaine producers, and with several coastal ports, including Guayaquil, Ecuador’s dollarized economy has become a significant transit point for drug trafficking, primarily headed to Europe and North America.

Ecuador is ranked as the third country in the world that seizes the most drugs—only behind Colombia and the United States—with around 200 tons of narcotics confiscated in the last three years, and 149 tons in the first half of 2024 alone.

Related Topics:banana Drug Ecuador Russia

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