12:16, 16 May 2023

YEREVAN, MAY 16, ARMENPRESS. Italian law enforcement agencies in the western town of Gioia Tauro in the Metropolitan City of Reggio Calabria have seized a record 2,7 tons of cocaine that was reportedly intended to be smuggled into Armenia, according to the Italian ANSA news agency.

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The huge consignment of cocaine was smuggled into the Italian port from Ecuador in two containers loaded with 78 tons of bananas.  According to the report, the cocaine with a street value of €800,000,000 was intended to be smuggled into Armenia through the Port of Batumi in Georgia.

The anti-mafia law enforcement agency of Reggio Calabria coordinated and executed the drug bust.

ANSA quoted the law enforcement agency as saying that the cocaine was “of extremely high quality and very well preserved.”

Italian authorities have seized 37 tons of cocaine in the Gioia Tauro port since 2021.