Banana shipment filled with cocaine; 5 arrested

An assault team of the Rotterdam police force arrested five men Monday morning in a hangar on the Riemsdijkweg in Rotterdam, on suspicion of smuggling 275 lbs. of cocaine, reported the Public Prosecution Friday. Customs officers discovered the drugs on Friday the week before, in the bottom of a container with bananas from Ecuador.

The HARC-team, a joint force of customs, the Fiscal Information and Investigation Service (Fiod), harbor police, and public prosecution, immediately started an investigation. Based on the results of the investigation the assault team raided the hangar on Monday morning, where five men were in the act of cutting open the bottom of the container. An attempt to escape over the roof was prevented by members of the assault team who were already up there, waiting. The suspects, 4 Rotterdam locals and one homeless, ranging in ages from 20-42, were sentenced to 14 days detention by the magistrate on Thursday. The HARC-team continues its investigation. More arrests may follow.