Russian authorities have seized 820 kilograms of cocaine concealed beneath a shipment of bananas, in what officials say is the country’s largest drug bust from Latin America this year.
The narcotics, valued at over 12 billion rubles (approximately $153 million), were intercepted following a joint operation between Russia’s Federal Customs Service and the FSB security agency, the government announced on Tuesday.
According to investigators, the cocaine was smuggled in bricks disguised with luxury fashion labels and hidden in a secret compartment beneath banana crates shipped from South America.
Authorities say the sting was launched after a tip-off from foreign law enforcement partners, who warned of an attempt by a South American drug cartel to establish a new trafficking route into Russia.
“During the inspection of a refrigerated container, our officers uncovered a hidden cavity packed with compressed cocaine packages, each camouflaged using counterfeit branding,” the statement read.
The seizure highlights the growing role of Russia as a transit hub for international drug networks, particularly as traditional routes through Ukrainian ports like Odesa have become inaccessible due to the ongoing war.
Russia enforces some of the world’s strictest anti-narcotics laws, and trafficking such large quantities of illegal drugs carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
The Federal Customs Service said a criminal investigation is underway for large-scale drug trafficking, and further arrests may follow.
