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International Internet Magazine. Baltic States news & analytics Thursday, 28.03.2024, 17:59

Lithuanian police seizes record amount of cocaine

Karolis Broga, BK, Kaunas, 30.09.2015.Print version
Kaunas police officers have dug through 367 tonnes of coal and found 600 kg of cocaine. This is the biggest drug bust in the history of Lithuanian police. It is believed that the drugs would have headed to Russia, writes LETA/ELTA.

Police Commissioner General Linas Pernavas said at the Police Department's press conference on Tuesday that the drugs are worth more than EUR 40 mln. on the black market.

According to Pernavas, the operation was being carried out for several years. Before transporting cocaine the criminal gang consisting of Lithuanians and Colombians undertook to transport several test shipments of coal. Cocaine was technologically mixed into coal. Police officers were monitoring the shipments. Five companies were founded - one in Ukraine, one in Russia and three in Lithuania - for these shipments.


Already in July 2015 police reported about finding 100 kg of cocaine brought together with coal from Colombia. The drugs were discovered after police officers checked by hand 239 tonnes of coal. As the remaining load was inspected another 500 kg of cocaine was found, bringing the total to 600 kg. According to officers, cocaine was pressed into coal thus could not be visually distinguished.


The police commissioner general presumed that most of the drugs were dedicated for the Russian market.


Charges were brought against 11 people, 9 of whom are under arrest, a Colombian citizen among them.


The suspects are said to be well known to police and stood numerous trials in the past. One of the organisers of the crime is suspected to be hiding in Germany.






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