Greek Authorities Seize Cocaine Hidden in Banana Shipment Worth Over €1 Million

35 kilograms of cocaine valued at more than €1 million was taken from a banana container at the Piraeus port by the Greek coast guard.

The coast guard said on Monday that cocaine worth more than 1 million euros ($1.10 million) was found stashed in a marine container meant for bananas by Greek officials.

The U.S. embassy in Athens’ Homeland Security Investigations team assisted in the seizure of the narcotics from a ship that was moored at the Piraeus port.

A shipment of cocaine from Ecuador was found hidden inside the container’s cooling system, including about 35 kilograms (77 pounds) of cocaine divided into 30 parcels.

The seizure emphasizes the continuous threat presented by global drug trafficking networks, who are increasingly eyeing Europe as a significant market. Over the last ten years, South American cocaine production has increased dramatically, and traffickers from the Balkans are a major part of the European cocaine distribution network.

The event is a part of a larger campaign by Greek law enforcement to take down global drug trafficking organizations. Greek authorities declared in May that they had brought down a criminal organization that was importing cocaine into Europe using shipping containers from Latin America. Soon later, during another inspection at the port of Piraeus, they found and confiscated over 109 kilograms (240 pounds) of cocaine concealed in a container of frozen squid.

Given that Europe is now thought to be the cocaine market with the greatest global market, law enforcement agencies are stepping up their efforts to sever narcotics shipments and take down trafficking networks.