Colombian authorities say they seized more than 2.4 metric tons of cocaine hydrochloride hidden in a shipment of coffee pellets at the Port of Cartagena.
The cargo was bound for Valencia, Spain, according to social media posts from Colombian police and defense officials. A post from the Colombian Ministry of Defense said the seizure prevented approximately 6.1 million doses of cocaine from reaching Europe.
Authorities and local reports citing police described the cargo as 1,660 sacks of “coffee pellets,” weighing 15 kilograms each, as opposed to traditional sacks of green coffee for export. Coffee pellets generally refer to compressed coffee-biomass products that may be made from byproducts such as husks or parchment, often for use as biofuel. Authorities did not disclose details about the seized coffee pellets or any entities involved in their production.
Officials have not publicly named the Colombian exporter, the Spanish importer, the shipping line, the vessel, the port terminal or any other commercial parties associated with the shipment.
Forensic testing found a cocaine concentration of 9.8% in the mixed material, according to local reports citing police. The evidence has been seized and a criminal investigation is ongoing, authorities said.
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