Half a tonne of cocaine seized at Ghent docks
Half a tonne of cocaine has been seized by police at the East Flemish port of Ghent. The drugs were aboard a ship that had arrived at Ghent from Brazil. The cocaine was concealed among a shipment of fruit juice. Six suspects have been arrested.
Patrick Willockx of the Federal Judicial Police Service told VRT News that the drugs were discovered last Saturday during checks carried out on a ship that had arrived at Ghent docks from Brazil. “We found several barrels containing what should have been fruit juice. However, the barrels weren’t filled with fruit juice, but with packets of cocaine”.
A total of 500kg of the drug with an estimated street value of 3.2 million euro were seized.
8 suspects apprehended
After the drugs were seized several properties were searched and a total of 8 suspects apprehended.
"A total of 8 people were apprehended. 6 of them were questioned by the Examining Magistrate and were eventually arrested. 3 of them work at the port and 3 are suspected of being members of the organisation that arranged for the drugs to be smuggled in”, Mr Willockx said.
It was not the first seizure of cocaine at Ghent docks in recent months. Last month 150kg of the drug was seized.