Police Seize Gang Whose Methods Included Smuggling Cocaine In Frozen Pineapple Pulp

Cocaine and cannabis worth a whopping EUR 165 million (GBP 144 million) have been seized in a raid on a drug trafficking gang whose smuggling methods included hiding it in pineapple pulp.

Police in Spain and Poland that carried out the raids say the chain began in Morocco and South America, with the drugs being trafficked to Poland and that 12 members of the "high-risk" drugs ring were arrested

Once in Poland, fleets of Polish truckers transported the contraband to Spain, Germany, Switzerland and the Netherlands.

One of the suspects arrested in the raids on 28th March is believed to have masterminded the trafficking of cocaine in barrels of frozen pineapple pulp that were found in 2020.

Europol - which helped coordinate the raids - said in a statement obtained by Newsflash: "A high-risk criminal network consisting of different organised crime groups responsible for smuggling drugs from Morocco and South America and setting up a wholesale distribution network has been disrupted.

"Polish citizens residing in Spain or working as drivers in Polish transport companies were the main actors."

They added: "Among the detainees is a man suspected of organising the smuggling of 3.2 tonnes [7,054 lbs] of cocaine in 2020.

"The cocaine was found in barrels containing frozen pineapple pulp."

Police seized more than 2.2 tonnes (4,850 lbs) of marijuana, 8.7 tonnes (19,180 lbs) of hashish, and 942 kilogrammes (2,076 lbs) of cocaine in the raids.