Additional Coverage:
Dominican Republic Seizes Massive Cocaine Shipment
Dominican authorities have intercepted the country’s largest-ever cocaine shipment, weighing an astonishing 9,500 kilograms. The drugs were concealed within a shipment of bananas at a port in Santo Domingo.
Authorities estimate the street value of the cocaine to be $250 million. The haul surpasses the previous record of 2,580 kilograms seized in the same port in 2006.
At least 10 individuals linked to the port are under investigation. Preliminary findings indicate that the bananas originated from Guatemala.
The cocaine was apparently intended for transport to Belgium. The Dominican Republic has emerged as a significant drug trafficking route from Colombia to Europe.
Cocaine use is on the rise in several European countries, with Europe accounting for 21% of global cocaine users in 2020. The drug’s increasing use has resulted in severe health consequences, including a surge in drug-poisoning deaths in England and Wales.