550 kilos of cocaine at Rotterdam port leads to nine arrests

A batch of 550 kilograms of cocaine was found in an empty sea container at the Port of Rotterdam on Monday. As part of the ensuing investigation, authorities arrested nine alleged drug smugglers at the port over the past week, the Public Prosecution Service (OM) said in a statement.

"The narcotics were presumably taken from a recently arrived container and transferred to the empty container for subsequent collection," the OM said in a statement. "In the past few days, nine so-called 'extractors' have been arrested."

Authorities said that extractors typically hide out at the port and locked themselves in, waiting for the right moment snatch the illicit cargo. The nine people in custody were being investigated for their role in a drug smuggling scheme, the OM said.