In a large-scale coordinated action by the prosecutor’s office, customs officers and the maritime police, it was possible to seize more than 100 tons of illegal substances in wood shipments bound for Europe. The smugglers mainly hid cocaine and ketamine in the containers, the total value of which would reach an astronomical 8.3 billion dollars (7.2 billion euros) on the European black market.
Chilean authorities announced on Monday that they seized more than 100 tons of drugs in shipments of wood destined for Europe, TASR reports, according to an AFP report.
“Thanks to the joint efforts of the prosecutor’s office, the maritime police and the customs authorities, 1,080 tons of wood were seized, in which various drugs were hidden, which represents a historic blow against organized crime in our country,” the customs office said in a statement.
Cocaine and ketamine in wood
The drugs discovered were mainly cocaine and ketamine, with an estimated value of $8.3 billion (7.2 billion euros) on the European market, the office added in a statement.
After a six-month investigation, the authorities identified 45 containers with wood. At the final destinations, the drugs would then have to be obtained through “advanced chemical processes” in specialized laboratories, customs officials explained.
The total amount of drugs seized may still increase as the authorities examine additional suspicious containers.
