Russia Intercepts Massive Cocaine Shipment Hidden in Banana Cargo

Russian authorities announced on Wednesday the seizure of 820 kilograms (1,800 pounds) of cocaine concealed beneath a shipment of bananas, describing it as the country’s largest drug bust involving Latin American narcotics so far this year.

According to Russia’s Izvestia newspaper, cocaine trafficking into the country has seen a sharp increase over the past two years, with traffickers now targeting Russia as a major transit route. The report notes that the shift is partly due to the inaccessibility of Ukraine’s Odesa port following Russia’s military operations in the region.

Russia’s Federal Customs Service, in collaboration with the FSB security agency, revealed that the intercepted cocaine was valued at “more than 12 billion rubles ($153 million)” and had been stashed within containers of bananas.

The drugs, according to officials, were compressed into briquettes marked with the logo of a French luxury fashion brand and hidden in a “hidden cavity” beneath the fruit.

Authorities said the operation was carried out following intelligence received from “foreign colleagues about the intention of a South American criminal group to organise a smuggling channel for cocaine supplies to Russia.”

An investigation has since been launched into the case, with Russian officials stating that the suspects could face charges of large-scale drug trafficking — an offence that carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment under Russian law.

Russia maintains a strict zero-tolerance approach to drug use and trafficking, regularly imposing heavy sentences on offenders, including foreign nationals found guilty of smuggling even small quantities of narcotics.