Dutch customs have made a record drugs haul this month after eight tonnes of cocaine were seized aboard a Maersk container ship.
Over 8,000 one kilo packages of cocaine were discovered in the Port Of Rotterdam, concealed within 12 pallets of bananas in a container. According to reports, Dutch customs had reason to suspect foul play after electronically scanning the container and then used drug detection dogs to inspect it.
The container originated in Ecuador and boarded the Maersk ship in Panama before making its journey to the Dutch port.
The haul, which has an estimated street value of £512m, is Dutch Customs largest ever drug seizure and doubles their previous record of 3.8 tonnes from 2021. The Netherlands have now seized 29.7 tonnes of cocaine this year.
The largest global seizure of cocaine was recorded in 2019 at the Port of Philadelphia, when 20 tonnes was discovered aboard the MSC Gayane.
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