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🇪🇨 Ecuador /Crime & Justice

Ecuador police seize 119 kilos of cocaine hidden in fruit container

From El Comercio · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Outcome reported
  • Ecuadorian police seized 119.76 kilograms of cocaine hidden in a fruit export container at the port of Machala.
  • The shipment was destined for Germany and had an estimated street value of $5.59 million in Europe.
  • Ecuador, bordering Colombia and Peru, is a key transit point for drug trafficking due to its geography and multiple ports.

Ecuadorian police intercepted a significant drug shipment at the port of Machala, seizing 119.76 kilograms of cocaine concealed within a container of export fruit. The illicit cargo was bound for Germany, with authorities estimating its value on the European market at $5.59 million.

The Police of Ecuador seized this Friday 119.76 kilos of cocaine in the port of Machala, capital of the province of El Oro.

— PoliceReporting on the seizure of cocaine in Machala.

The discovery was made during a routine inspection aided by trained drug-sniffing dogs, which located 120 rectangular blocks hidden in the container's floor structure. Preliminary tests confirmed the substance as cocaine.

The agents located 120 rectangular blocks hidden in the structure of the floor of the warehouse.

— PoliceDescribing how the cocaine was found.

Interior Minister John Reimberg announced the operation's success, stating that one man, Ángel Geovanny Jacinto Calderón, was arrested. Reimberg highlighted Ecuador's strategic position as a transit country for drug trafficking to Europe and North America, attributing this to its geographical location, numerous coastal ports, and dollarized economy.

The minister of the Interior, John Reimberg, reported on the results of the operation.

— PoliceAnnouncing the details of the drug bust.

This seizure adds to a growing trend of drug interdictions in Ecuador. As of late May, the Ministry of the Interior reported that over 70 tons of drugs had been confiscated nationwide this year, underscoring the ongoing challenges in combating illicit trafficking.

The Police arrested a man identified as Ángel Geovanny Jacinto Calderón.

— John ReimbergDetailing the arrest made during the operation.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by El Comercio in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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