Spanish interior ministry confirms massive cocaine haul

MADRID, Dec. 5 (Xinhua) -- The Spanish Interior Ministry on Tuesday confirmed the seizure of a shipment of cocaine thought to be the second biggest ever in Spain.

The ministry said the drugs were seized on Nov. 28 in the port of Algeciras, in southwestern Spain. A shipment container of 5,883 kg of cocaine was camouflaged by a shipment of bananas from the Colombian city of Medellin.

The drug is thought to have a street value of around 210 million euros (248 million U.S. dollars).

A Spanish national, who was in charge of the import department of the company using the container, and two supposed accomplices, one from Honduras and another from Portugal, were detained, while two more suspects are under investigation.

The container was due to be shipped to El Prat de Llobregat, just outside of Barcelona.

The cocaine had been divided into 5,299 blocks, each weighing around a kilogram, which is usually a sign that it is to be distributed to "different destinations and organizations."

This is the second largest ever seizure of cocaine by Spanish authorities. The biggest seizure of around 7,600 kg of the drug was confiscated at sea.

Spain's close links with Latin America, its position in the south of Europe, and the common language between the two regions, make it an ideal destination for drug-smuggling gangs. Enditem