More than a ton of cocaine concealed in sacks of cocoa was seized by the drugs squad at the port of Barcelona
A joint operation of the Guardia Civil and the Hacienda discovered 1,340 kg of cocaine hidden inside the sacks of cocoa powder located in the deepest part of four containers using the ‘blind hook’ method in a shipment from Ecuador.
According to the police, the swift action of the agents prevented the circulation of this large quantity of cocaine, which would have had a significant economic and public health impact.
The seizure occurred when the agents became aware of the existence of a criminal organization dedicated to the introduction of hidden cocaine in merchandise containers in Spain through the Port of Barcelona using the “blind hook” method. From the investigations carried out, it was learned that a merchant ship, coming from Guayaquil (Ecuador) bound for the Port of Barcelona, was transporting containers that might contain hidden drugs inside.
Once in Barcelona, the agents searched the containers whose legal merchandise was cocoa powder and discovered 1,340 kg of cocaine hidden inside. The investigation is still open and work continues to locate the persons responsible for both sending and receiving the drug.
The intervention was carried out by members of the Judicial Police Unit of the Guardia Civil of the Catalonia Zone and the Regional Operational Unit for Customs Surveillance of Barcelona.
Barcelona is a major port city in Spain and is an important hub for shipping, trade, and transportation in the western Mediterranean. The Port of Barcelona is one of the busiest ports in the Mediterranean and handles a large volume of cargo, as well as serving as a popular tourist destination.
