390KG of Cocaine was discovered hidden among sacks of cocoa beans in a container heading for Switzerland. The company due to receive the shipment was apparently unaware of the smuggled drugs.
The drugs, with a street value of 29 million euros was carefully removed from the ship which had originated from the Bahamas. according to the Public Prosecution Service (OM).
The ship arrived in Rotterdam on July 22 where it unloaded some cargo before continuing on to Antwerp.
The drugs were actually removed from the cocoa cargo, which presented some serious health risks due to the levels of hydrogen cyanide gas generated by the cocoa beans held inside containers.
Cocoa beans generate hydrogen cyanide gas through their natural process, which can be fatal at high concentrations. The oxygen content in the container also decreases rapidly and the percentage of carbon monoxide rises high,
The OM
The cocaine was destroyed once the evidence was recorded, according to the OM. The Rotterdam Hit-and-Run Cargo team was conducting an investigation.
