Skopje, 10 May 2023 (MIA) - The department for illicit trafficking in narcotic drugs, weapons and dangerous substances at the Department for Criminal Police in cooperation with the Greek Anti-Drug Organisation confiscated 105 kilograms of cocaine in Thessaloniki.

In the operation, which took place on Monday and Tuesday, 10 individuals, including seven Greeks and three Albanians, as well as four persons from North Macedonia, were detained.

The international drug smuggling ring is believed to have operated, importing significant quantities of drugs from Ecuador into Europe.

The drugs from South America had been brought to Thessaloniki on a cargo ship, and were hidden in hollow external sections of shipping containers that held a consignment of bananas from Ecuador.

All four nationals of North Macedonia that were arrested, are suspected of belonging to an international organized crime ring.

The arrested individuals will be charged for unauthorized production and distribution of narcotics, in line with Article 215 of the Criminal Code, police said in a press release on Wednesday.

Earlier, as MIA’s Athens correspondent reported, Police in Thessaloniki at today’s press conference said that the police arrested 10 individuals, and seized 104 kilograms and 665 grams of cocaine, and 280,000 euros in cash. Police said that it discovered cocaine concealed within the bananas, which were en route to North Macedonia. Part of the drugs were supposed to reach North Macedonia, and probably from there to be shipped to other European countries.

Photo: Ministry of Interior 

Фото: МВР