Dutch Police Seize Huge
Cocaine Shipment From
Costa Rica
AMSTERDAM, Netherlands -
Dutch authorities seized
1,674 kilograms (3,690
pounds) of cocaine
concealed in a shipping
container filled with
coffee from Costa Rica,
officials said Friday.
The drugs were detected
by a sniffer dog two
weeks ago, and the
transport was allowed to
proceed from the Port of
Rotterdam to its
destination in the
southern city of Weert,
authorities said.
Three men — aged 25, 40
and 59 — were arrested
earlier this week in
connection with the
investigation, the
national public
prosecutor's office said
in a statement, without
identifying the suspects
by name.
The cocaine, which had
an estimated street
value of around €80
million (US$110
million), was destroyed,
the statement said.
The bust announced
Friday was unusually
large, but not the
largest or most valuable
in Dutch history. In
September 2005, customs
officials at Rotterdam
seized 4,600 kilograms
(10,000 pounds) of
cocaine hidden inside
massive reels of steel
cable on a ship from
Venezuela. |
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