BERLIN (AP) — Officials in Germany announced Wednesday that they discovered more than 8 metric tons of cocaine hidden inside a shipping container labeled as carrying cocoa beans, leading to the arrest of two suspects in Spain.
Customs officials in Germany valued the confiscated cocaine at approximately 500 million euros ($582 million) on the street market after the seizure at the North Sea port of Wilhelmshaven.
The narcotics were confiscated on Feb. 9, while the suspects were taken into custody in El Ejido, located in Spain’s Almería province, on May 14.
According to investigators’ statement, the container originated from West Africa and was headed to Spain. Rather than finding cocoa beans, authorities discovered more than 400 packages covered in black foil, with each package holding approximately 20 compressed cocaine blocks.
German authorities destroyed the illegal cargo before allowing the container to continue to Barcelona. Law enforcement tracked down two individuals believed to be the operation’s organizers and apprehended them when the container was being transferred.
According to the statement, one suspect managed an import business and had previously been connected to another cocaine smuggling case by Spanish customs officials. Both individuals may face imprisonment in Spain if prosecuted and found guilty.
