The Dominican Republic has made its largest-ever cocaine seizure, intercepting 9,500kg of the drug concealed in a shipment of bananas at a port in Santo Domingo. Authorities estimate the haul’s street value at $250 million (£196 million). The operation, spearheaded by the National Drug Control Directorate, uncovered the cocaine packed into 320 bags and destined for Belgium.
The bananas were traced back to Guatemala, with preliminary investigations revealing that individuals at the port attempted to transfer the drugs into another container before shipment. At least ten individuals connected to the port are currently under investigation.
This record-breaking haul dwarfs the country’s previous record in 2006 when 2,580kg of cocaine was seized at the same port. The case underscores the resurgence of the Caribbean as a key transit hub for narcotics trafficking from Colombia to Europe.
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Cocaine’s Growing Impact on Europe
This seizure sheds light on the growing demand for cocaine in Europe, a region that accounted for 21% of the world’s cocaine users in 2020, according to the United Nations. Countries like Belgium, the UK, France, and Spain have reported rising cocaine consumption, with health data revealing dire consequences. In England and Wales, drug poisoning deaths have reached their highest levels in 30 years, partly driven by a 30% rise in cocaine-related fatalities.
A Wake-Up Call for International Collaboration
The record seizure highlights the scale of drug trafficking and the need for enhanced international cooperation to address the crisis. With the Caribbean once again emerging as a trafficking hotspot, robust monitoring, tighter port security, and coordinated enforcement are vital to curbing the flow of narcotics and mitigating the growing health and social impacts of cocaine in Europe.
