MOSCOW: Russian customs officials uncovered 820 kilograms of cocaine hidden beneath a shipment of bananas, marking the country’s largest drug seizure from Latin America in 2025.
The haul, valued at over 12 billion rubles ($153 million), was discovered in a concealed compartment within banana containers.
The packages were disguised as briquettes bearing the label of a French luxury fashion brand.
Authorities acted on intelligence from foreign counterparts, who warned of a South American criminal group attempting to establish a smuggling route into Russia.
Russia’s customs service, collaborating with the FSB security agency, stated that the increasing use of the country as a transit hub is partly due to the inaccessibility of Ukraine’s Odesa port amid ongoing conflict.
An investigation into large-scale drug trafficking has been initiated, an offense punishable by life imprisonment in Russia.
The country enforces strict anti-drug laws, imposing severe penalties even for minor trafficking offenses, including those involving foreign nationals. – AFP
