A record-breaking 740 kilograms of high-purity cocaine hidden in a 40-foot reefer container has been seized by customs officials at the Freeport scanning facility.

The drug's value has been estimated at €90 million to €100 million.

Customs said in a statement on Tuesday the container was selected for scanning following a risk assessment. Officials who screened it flagged some discrepancies so it was opened for a physical check.

A total 740 packets of a white substance weighing one kilogram each were found hidden in 37 boxes and subsequently elevated. This was then found to be high-purity cocaine.

The cargo, en-route from Ecuador to Slovenia, contained 1,080 boxes of bananas and the drug was concealed within the fruit boxes. 

In a similar bust late last year, customs made a then record-breaking haul of 510 packages containing a total of 612 kilograms of cocaine, worth €70 million. They had been hidden in pallets carrying cooking oil.
 
Customs said this latest seizure was historical both in size and street value.
 
The department said it has been breaking its cocaine seizure records year on year, with a total haul of 750 kilograms in 13 busts being recorded in 2019, 612 kilograms in one bust in 2020.
 
The police are investigating the haul and an inquiry is being held.

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