Bolivia claims its second largest drug seizure in historical past as 7.2 tons of cocaine discovered hidden in scrap steel cargo

Bolivian police have seized greater than 7.2 tons of cocaine that was discovered hidden in scrap steel headed for a port in neighboring Chile for export to Europe, the nation’s Inside Minister introduced Monday. Inside Minister Eduardo del Castillo mentioned on the Monday press convention that it was the second-largest drug bust within the nation’s historical past, and would deprive drug traffickers of greater than $451 million.

The medication have been found at a customs checkpoint within the Pisiga area, on Bolivia’s border with Chile, hidden in vehicles that have been carrying container a great deal of scrap steel for export to Belgium, which has grow to be a most important gateway for Latin American cocaine cartels into Europe.

“Upon reviewing the merchandise, which was contained in the autos, it was decided that the load of two containers was contaminated with managed substances,” del Castillo mentioned Monday.  “Law enforcement officials realized that the merchandise had uncommon traits and proceeded to drill it to find cocaine.”

“If we consider the value of those managed substances within the nation of vacation spot, we’re speaking about an impression on drug trafficking of greater than $451 million,” he mentioned on the out of doors information convention, as closely armed forces guarded each the seized medication and three males who have been arrested in reference to the bust.

Del Castillo mentioned the person believed to be behind the thwarted drug sale had fled Bolivia to the U.S., which he blamed on a leak from the federal prosecutor’s workplace to media retailers.

Bolivia’s biggest-ever drug bust got here solely weeks in the past, when police seized near 9 tons of cocaine in January in an operation that additionally occurred on the border with Chile.

The United Nations Workplace on Medication and Crime says Bolivia is the third-largest grower of coca, the plant from which cocaine is produced, on the planet. In a March report, UNODOC mentioned there had been an increase in shipments of cocaine from southern components of South America, together with Chile, to Europe.