Cocaine hidden in banana boxes and found in Latvia is worth about EUR 30 million

RIGA - The value of the cocaine cargo hidden in banana boxes discovered in Latvia recently is worth about EUR 30 million, LETA learned from the State Police spokeswoman Simona Gravite.

The police is still determining exact amount of the cocaine.

The police reported last weekend that the banana cargo came from South America not only for Latvian market, but also for other countries. The police did not name any countries, but Gravite said that at the end of last year cocaine hidden in banana boxes was discovered also in Poland and the Czech Republic.

As reported, approximately 168 kilograms of what is most likely cocaine have been brought to Latvia in banana boxes. On December 23, Maxima retail chain's security service informed the police that packages with white powder had been found in banana boxes at two retail outlets in Riga.

The police seized 168 such packages. 

The police have determined that this shipment of bananas arrived in Latvia from South America. All the companies that received bananas from this batch have been identified and inspected, and the companies are actively cooperating with the police.