Uruguay's authorities seize 4.4 tonnes of cocaine in Montevideo port

In what is being called the biggest setback for drug traffickers, authorities in Uruguay have seized 4.4 tonnes of cocaine worth $1 billion. The cocaine was seized through a joint operation conducted by the navy and customs officials in the port of Montevideo. The drugs were hidden in flour containers.

Country's biggest drug seizure

According to the authorities, the drugs were headed for Lome, the capital of Togo. Uruguay in recent years has been increasingly used as a transit point in order to move a large number of drugs from Latin America to Africa and Europe. While the place of origin of the drugs is not known, according to Uruguay's customs director Jaime Borgiani the cocaine was loaded at a ranch in south-western Soriano.

Borgiani also added that it is important to show the world and especially drug traffickers that Uruguay is not willing to be used as a transit point for drugs. This latest seizure comes just a month after authorities discovered three tonnes of cocaine. This seizure also took place in Montevideo, according to authorities the drugs were heading to Cotonou in Benin via the Spanish island of Tenerife.

Navy spokesman Diego Perona told journalists that the first container was found to contain more than 3,000 "bricks" of cocaine each weighing 1.1kg (2.4lb). The containers were due to be loaded on to an Italian-registered ship, local media reported.

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In related news, a submarine carrying cocaine worth $100 million was caught by police officials off the northwestern region of Galicia, Spain. According to reports, the 65-foot submarine is said to be the first that has caught in Europe. Authorities were able to assess the amount and worth of the drugs three days after managing to refloat the submarine and taking it to a port.

In a statement released by the Spanish police, the authorities started their investigation after being tipped off that a submarine carrying cocaine was on its way to Spain. 152 packages containing approximately 3 tonnes of cocaine was recovered from the vessel. According to the authorities, the seized submarine had the capacity to carry up to 5 tonnes of cocaine. 

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