Last week, the justice department in Antwerp arrested eleven people in an investigation into a criminal organization that organized cocaine transports worldwide.
The case is related to the seizure in Panama of about 7 tons of cocaine in May this year.
The investigation started at the end of 2024 after a container containing bananas was delivered delayed and several pallets were missing on arrival. Detectives discovered that the container had since been taken to a warehouse in Beveren. There the drug party would have been removed from the shipment and then real bananas were loaded back to mask the difference in weight on the papers and still let the shipment continue.
The arrests follow indications that the organization used various methods to facilitate and hide large-scale cocaine shipments. The case illustrates the common tactic of abusing fruit containers and logistics routes for drug smuggling and highlights international cooperation in large interceptions such as those in Panama.
