Athens News - Spain seizes largest-ever cocaine haul

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Spain seizes largest-ever cocaine haul
Spain seizes largest-ever cocaine haul / Photo: JORGE GUERRERO - AFP

Spain seizes largest-ever cocaine haul

Spanish police said Wednesday that they had seized 13 tonnes of cocaine -- the country's largest-ever haul of the drug -- and made one arrest.

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Police and customs agents intercepted the cocaine in the southern port of Algeciras on October 14 from a container ship that had arrived from Ecuador's largest city Guayaquil, a drug-trafficking hub.

The ship carried crates of bananas that concealed identically designed boxes containing the cocaine, and intelligence from Ecuadoran police tipped off the Spanish authorities.

A woman believed to be a partner of the importing company was arrested in the central Spanish city of Toledo and two other suspects are on the run, police said.

Spain is a main entry point for drugs into Europe because of its close ties with former colonies in Latin America and its proximity to Morocco, a top cannabis producer.

R.Kontogeorgis--AN-GR