In a joint operation, the Federal Security Service (FSB) and the Federal Customs Service (FCS) discovered more than 1.5 tons of cocaine hidden in a shipment of bananas from Ecuador. Officials confirmed it is the largest cocaine seizure in Russian customs history.
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Северный речной порт – panoramio
The narcotics were found aboard the vessel Cool Emerald, which arrived at the port of St. Petersburg on August 29. Inside 63 boxes, customs officers uncovered approximately 1,500 bricks of cocaine weighing a net total of 1,515 kilograms. One of the packages was notably marked with the luxury brand name Fendi.
“At present, operational search measures and investigative actions are underway to identify and detain members of the organized criminal group involved in this drug smuggling operation,” the FCS stated in its Telegram channel.
Estimated Value and Criminal Proceedings
The black-market value of the cocaine shipment is estimated at 20 billion rubles. Baltic Customs has opened a criminal case under Article 229.1, Part 4(b) of the Russian Criminal Code (drug smuggling on an especially large scale), which carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.
Repeat Cases of Cocaine in Banana Shipments
This is not the first time Russian authorities have intercepted cocaine disguised as fruit cargo from Latin America. In mid-July, customs officers and FSB agents uncovered 820 kilograms of cocaine concealed in banana containers. That shipment was valued at more than 12 billion rubles.
According to the FCS, foreign intelligence partners had previously alerted Russian security services about attempts by South American criminal organizations to establish a trafficking route for cocaine into Russia.
