Brussels, Nov. 6, (dpa/GNA) – Belgian investigators seized 11.5 tons of cocaine in a raid at the port of Antwerp, news agency Belga reported on Thursday, citing the public prosecutor’s office.
The seizure was reportedly part of a larger operation to dismantle a criminal organization that smuggles drugs from South America to Belgium.
The cocaine was brought by ship to the port of Zeebrugge and then on to Antwerp, according to the Belga.
From there it was supposed to be sent to a company in the Netherlands, just beyond its border with Belgium.
The cocaine was discovered in a container from Guyana on Tuesday last week. After several searches in Belgium and the Netherlands, three people were arrested on Wednesday, Belga reported.
The drug ring has reportedly been under investigation in Belgium for some time.
Thursday’s seizure reportedly means almost 15 tons of cocaine have been seized so far. After earlier house searches, 22 people were arrested and almost three million euros (3.5 million dollars) were confiscated.
The public prosecutor’s office had announced at the start of October that it had uncovered an international drug ring.
GNA