Ecuadorian Police Seize Cocaine In Tuna Container Bound For France

Ecuadorian police seized more than half a ton of cocaine hidden among boxes of canned tuna in an export container bound for France at the Naportec port terminal in Guayaquil. Authorities discovered 784 blocks of cocaine during routine inspections of export cargo early Monday. The drugs had been concealed in sacks between boxes of tuna in an attempt to evade customs controls. The seizure is part of a series of anti-narcotics operations targeting drug shipments concealed in export cargo along Ecuador’s coast. In recent weeks, authorities have seized significant quantities of drugs at ports in the provinces of Guayas and El Oro, according to Ecuadorian news sites.

John Reimberg, Ecuador’s Interior Minister, said in a post on X that the operation was carried out by the National Police at Naportec. He added that the investigation is ongoing. Ecuador’s tuna industry has faced recurring cocaine-smuggling incidents involving export containers, with criminal networks using legitimate shipments to transport drugs overseas.