Major Containership Drugs Bust in the Mediterranean
Posted by Eric Haun
Thursday, March 16, 2017
Customs inspectors in Malta have seized more than 300 kg (660 lb) of cocaine worth millions of euros on a container ship heading from Ecuador to Spain, Maltese officials said on Thursday.
Prime Minister Joseph Muscat hailed the find as the biggest drugs seizure in the history of the Mediterranean island. "Well done to Customs and law enforcement authorities," he said in a tweet.
The customs department said it had discovered the cocaine stuffed in black hold-all bags in a container that was meant to be holding canned pineapple.
The unnamed ship had sailed from Ecuador and had docked at Malta Freeport. It was due to double back to Spain.
"It is estimated that the haul has a street value of tens of millions of euro," the customs department said, without giving a precise figure.
(Reporting by Chris Scicluna; Editing by Crispian Balmer and Richard Lough)