No menu items!

COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

HomeDrug traffickingSpain police seize tons of cocaine among pineapples shipped from Costa Rica...

Spain police seize tons of cocaine among pineapples shipped from Costa Rica

MADRID — Spanish police seized 2.5 tons of cocaine hidden among pineapples on a ship from Costa Rica in one of the biggest ever seizures of the drug, they said Wednesday.

The cocaine was stuffed in 2,296 packages hidden among the fruit in a shipping container that arrived at the Mediterranean port of Algeciras. It was tracked and seized later at a warehouse near Madrid, police said in a statement.

The authorities gave no estimate for the street value of the cocaine but online newspaper El Confidencial estimated it was worth over 150 million euros ($200 million).

“This is one of the biggest seizures carried out in European Union ports,” the police statement said.

Police arrested six people in the Madrid suburb of Valdemoro, where the alleged drug traffickers are accused of storing the cocaine in a warehouse.

The authorities located the drug shipment in Algeciras thanks to a tip-off and tailed traffickers as they transported the cocaine to the warehouse.

Spain’s close ties to Latin America have made it the key entry point for cocaine from the continent bound for Europe.

Roughly 4.5 metric tons of cocaine with ties to Costa Rican has been seized in the last 24 hours, Public Security Minister Mario Zamora said.

 

Trending Now

Fitch Keeps Costa Rica at ‘BB’ Rating with Positive Outlook

Fitch Ratings has confirmed Costa Rica's long-term foreign currency issuer default rating at 'BB' and kept the outlook positive. The decision points to steady...

Costa Rica Travelers Face Tighter U.S. Visa Social Media Scrutiny

The United States government has moved forward with plans to require certain international visitors to submit five years of their social media activity as...

Costa Rica Shifts Toward Regenerative Tourism Alongside Other Nations

Costa Rica has long stood out for its commitment to protecting natural areas through tourism. Now, our country joins a growing number of nations...

Costa Rican Christmas Traditions: The Nativity Scene

Christmas is a very special celebration for Ticos (Costa Ricans, as most of the readers of the Tico Times already know, are affectionately known...

How to Travel with Pets in Costa Rica Without Issues

Travelers who plan to bring their dogs or cats into or out of the country often face strict rules set by the National Animal...

Costa Rica’s OIJ Identifies Fugitive Suspect in Quepos Couple Murder

Judicial authorities have identified and publicized the face of the remaining suspect linked to the brutal slaying of a European couple in this coastal...
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Travel Insurance
Costa Rica Travel

Latest News from Costa Rica