In what was described as the largest seizure of banned substances in Europe, Germany and Belgium have seized a large container of cocaine. The substances were seized after documents were cross-checked.
Cocaine seized at Hamburg and Antwerp ports
Banned substances suspected to be cocaine have been seized at the bay in Germany and Belgium. Custom officers of both European countries claimed that about 24 tonnes of the banned substance were apprehended before it could reach the Netherlands.
In Germany, customers saw about 16 tonnes of cocaine in about 4 shipping drums that came from Portugal at the beginning of February. Security operatives in the Netherlands were immediately alerted and a further 8. 3 tonnes were caught in Antwerp.
According to customs officers, the banned substances are worth billions of euros. A 30-year-old suspect was apprehended in the Netherlands for links to these drugs. According to Dutch security officials, an investigation has begun into the origin of the containers.
These raids were a huge amount of cocaine seizure which was kept in a container filled with timber originating from Panama. The ones found in Hamburg were kept in wall fillers that came from Paraguay. What triggered the inspection of the containers were obvious irregularities with the papers and tins.
German customs noticed incomplete papers
After an official discovered some anomalies, they ordered the drums to be opened for inspection. German customs insisted this is the largest cocaine seized in Europe in a while. The sales of this banned substance are valued at $5 b. Hamburg is the German largest port and has been a major source of illegal items in the country.
The German government has sent many custom officials there to whittle down illegal smuggling into Germany and Europe. Both customs in Germany and Belgium have both promised to unravel the origin of this huge shipment, go know how the winners. The suspect caught is expected to shed more light.