Almost nine metric tons of cocaine were found by Spanish authorities in a container carried by Lucie Schulte containership into the port of Algeciras, Spain.
The 8,740 kilograms of seized drugs represents the largest cocaine seizure in the country and Europe in regard to containerized shipments, Spain’s Customs Department said on Wednesday.
The cocaine was hidden among 1,080 boxes of bananas carried in the container that had been loaded in the port of Turbo, Colombia.
Three persons of Spanish nationality linked to the importing company in Spain and two other businessmen from France were arrested in connection to the drug haul.
The Singapore-flagged Sub-Panamax containership of 2,602 TEU, formerly known as Maersk Norwich, was built in 2006. It is part of Bernhard Schulte’s fleet, based on the information from VesselsValue.
According to the vessel’s latest AIS data from MarineTraffic, the containership has left Spain, and it is moored in Genoa, Italy.
World Maritime News Staff