Six tonnes of cocaine found in banana shipment

In Ecuador, sniffer dogs discovered a massive haul of cocaine hidden within a banana shipment. The dogs alerted their handlers, leading to the seizure of 5,630 parcels filled with a white substance that later tested positive for cocaine. This shipment was destined for Germany and would have been worth $224 million had it reached its destination. Following the discovery, five individuals were arrested. The police found the cocaine during a routine inspection at Posorja deepwater port, located southwest of Guayaquil, Ecuador's largest city. The cocaine parcels were concealed beneath crates of bananas intended for export. Among those arrested was a representative of the export company responsible for the shipment. This individual provided the names of four other suspects, including the managers of the banana plantation where the cocaine was suspected to have been added to the shipment, as well as the driver who transported the container to the port. Ecuador has become a significant transit country for cocaine produced in neighboring Peru and Colombia. Transnational criminal gangs utilize Ecuador's ports to ship the drug to Europe and the United States. In the previous year, Ecuadorian security forces seized over 200 tonnes of drugs, primarily cocaine. Only the United States and Colombia seized more drugs in 2023. The presence of these gangs has led to a surge in violent crime in Ecuador. In response, President Daniel Noboa declared a state of emergency and deployed tens of thousands of police officers and soldiers to combat the gangs. These security forces have successfully intercepted large quantities of cocaine destined for Europe. In January, officers discovered the largest stash ever seized in Ecuador - 22 tonnes of cocaine - buried on a pig farm. Despite these efforts, crimes such as extortion, kidnappings, and murders remain prevalent in the Andean nation. A woman in Quito, Ecuador, participated in a referendum addressing security-related questions aimed at combating the rising violence.