The Ecuadorian National Police (ENP) has reported the seizure of cocaine totalling 1.2 tons at Ecuador's Port of Guayaquil before it could be loaded onto a container vessel bound for Spain.
The cocaine was found infused within the layers of some corrugated board boxes inside a container at the port. Police said the drugs had been deliberately infused into the boxes to hinder detection.
The police were prompted to conduct a closer inspection of the boxes after a trained dog alerted them to the possible presence of illicit substances. This then resulted in the discovery of the concealed narcotics and the means by which these were concealed.
Field tests later confirmed that the seized boxes were laden with cocaine.
The successful seizure took place on Friday, August 7. Four days later, the ENP reported that the narcotics recovered from the boxes totalled approximately 1.2 tons and had an estimated street value of US$37.6 million.
