Peruvian police have intercepted 3.4 tonnes of cocaine hidden in a shipment of bananas intended for export to Belgium, authorities announced on Saturday.
The operation took place on Wednesday in the north-western Piura region, where police seized 3,407 kilograms of cocaine. The Interior Ministry stated this action prevented the drugs from being sent abroad.
Officials said the cocaine originated from the 'VRAEM’ region, a vast area known for extensive coca cultivation, according to Interim President José Jeri.
Law enforcement stopped a truck carrying over 3,000 packages of cocaine en route to a warehouse. There, boxes of bananas destined for export were being prepared. The facility is located roughly 100 kilometres from the port city of Paita.
General Nilton Santos, head of Peru’s anti-drug division, told TV Peru that the operation was conducted with support from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). The confiscated cocaine has a market value exceeding $68 million (€54.7 million), Santos added.
The Peruvian presidency linked the drug seizure to a criminal organisation made up of individuals from Peru, Colombia, and Europe, which allegedly planned to transport the cocaine to Belgium.
Peru, alongside Colombia and Bolivia, is among the largest producers of cocaine in the world. Authorities estimate that approximately 400 tonnes of cocaine are manufactured annually in the country.
According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), global cocaine production reached 3,708 tonnes in 2023, marking a 34% increase compared to 2022, the agency reported in June.
