German authorities said they have seized nearly 5 tons of cocaine worth over $1 billion, the largest cocaine seizure in the country’s history.
Authorities made the haul in Hamburg, a northern port city. The container, labeled as containing soybeans, was from Uruguay and was heading to Antwerp, Belgium.
Instead of soybeans, authorities found over 200 black duffel bags stuffed with 4,200 packets of cocaine.
“This outstanding success proves once again how powerfully German customs fight crime,” Rolf Bösinger, state secretary of the Federal Ministry of Finance, said in a statement.
The cocaine has been destroyed.
U.S. Coast Guard interdicts a suspected drug vessel in the the Pacific Ocean, as the suspects on board appear to dump bales of cocaine over the side before the Coast Guard cutter arrives. Approximately 2,300 pounds of cocaine were seized from the vessel. https://t.co/N6gqQr7Ncw pic.twitter.com/ifinzBRTdg
— ABC News (@ABC) July 26, 2019
Germany’s previous largest seizure was made in 2017, when authorities seized 4.2 tons of cocaine, also in Hamburg. That haul was valued at more than $800 million.
