1,500 kilos cocaine found in mangoes at Rotterdam port; customs officer arrested

By Janene Pieters on February 15, 2019 - 12:40
1,500 kilos of cocaine found hidden in a mangoes shipment at the port of Rotterdam, 13 Feb 2019
1,500 kilos of cocaine found hidden in a mangoes shipment at the port of Rotterdam, 13 Feb 2019. (Photo: OM/Public Prosecutor)

A massive 1,500 kilograms of cocaine was found hidden among mangoes in a container at the port of Rotterdam on Wednesday. A 37-year-old customs officer from Rotterdam was arrested on suspicion of involvement in this drug transport, the Public Prosecutor announced.

The container came from Brazil, according to the Prosecutor.

Early this year the Rijksrecherche, the department that handles internal investigations at government services like customs and the police, started an investigation into a suspected customs officer. Information from customs showed that this new cocaine bust is similar to incidents that are already part of that investigation, and that the suspected customs officer may be involved im this transport. 

The man was arrested and is in restricted custody, which means he is only allowed contact with his lawyer. He will be arraigned on Friday. 

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