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Peru Seizes Three Tons of High-Purity Cocaine Hidden in Organic Banana Boxes

The three-ton haul followed months of surveillance, prompting an ongoing hunt for the network’s leaders.

Overview

  • Dirandro’s Special Investigations Division intercepted a truck unloading hundreds of boxes in Alto Chira between Dec. 3–5 after months of tracking.
  • Preliminary tests by anti-drug forensics identified cocaine hydrochloride of high purity in 3,027 brick-style packages totaling about 3,400 kg.
  • The narcotics were concealed among organic bananas to mimic an export load, with investigators saying the route was intended to go through the port of Paita.
  • Authorities placed the seizure under prosecutorial control and arranged its transfer to Lima for forensic processing as tactical units continue searches for ringleaders.
  • Reports cite the VRAEM as the likely origin and estimate the haul’s value at roughly $150 million in Europe, figures characterized as media assessments.