Greek Coast Guard Makes Million Dollar Cocaine Bust

Greek authorities have confiscated cocaine valued at more than 1 million euros ($1.10 million) that was hidden in a sea container for bananas, the coast guard said.

The drugs, seized from a vessel in Piraeus port on Monday, were found with the help of the Homeland Security Investigations unit of the U.S. embassy in Athens, the coast guard added in a statement.

Authorities found about 35 kgs (77 lb) of cocaine in 30 packages hidden in the cooling system of the container which was filled with a shipment of bananas from Ecuador.

South American production of cocaine has surged over the past decade, with Balkan traffickers helping to turn Europe into the world’s biggest market for the drug.

In May, Greek authorities said they had dismantled an international criminal group trafficking cocaine in shipping containers from Latin America to Europe.

Days later, they confiscated more than 109 kg (240 pounds) of cocaine hidden in a container with frozen squid aboard another vessel that was inspected at Piraeus port.

($1 = 0.9129 euros)

(Reuters - Reporting by Yannis Souliotis; Writing by Renee Maltezou; editing by Miral Fahmy)