Dominican authorities announced Friday their largest-ever drug seizure, intercepting approximately 9.5 tons of cocaine worth $250 million hidden within a banana shipment at the nation’s primary seaport.
The drugs were discovered at Santo Domingo’s Caucedo port in a container that originated from Guatemala and was bound for Belgium, according to Carlos Devers, spokesman for the Dominican Republic’s Anti-Drug Agency. Ten suspects have been detained in connection with the seizure.
The historic bust surpasses the country’s previous record set in 2006, when officials discovered more than 5,680 pounds of cocaine at the same port. The seizure contributes to nearly 47 tons of drugs intercepted by Dominican authorities this year alone.
The Caribbean nation, long recognized as a major transit point in international drug trafficking, maintains its position as a crucial checkpoint in the fight against narcotics smuggling between South America and Europe.
