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Authorities in Thessaloniki have seized nearly 58 kilograms of cocaine hidden inside a shipping container carrying bananas from Ecuador, officials said Tuesday.
During a targeted inspection early in the day at the city’s Container Terminal (SEMPO), officers discovered 50 plastic packages containing a total of 57.9 kilograms (127.7 pounds) of cocaine. The drugs were concealed inside the container’s refrigeration units.
The operation was conducted by the Regional Drug Enforcement Team of the Central Port Authority of Thessaloniki, with support from a mobile X-ray unit operated by the First Customs Office. The search was part of an ongoing crackdown on maritime drug smuggling.
In addition to the narcotics, authorities confiscated the container used to transport and hide the drugs, as well as a portable GPS tracking device believed to have been used to monitor the shipment’s route.
The Central Port Authority is leading the investigation. The estimated street value of the seized cocaine is around €1.6 million ($1.7 million).
