Luxembourg authorities confiscated nearly a ton of cocaine concealed in a stone crusher “of Colombian origin” in what prosecutors are calling a record bust for the small European nation. Last Thursday, the police arrested two suspects after they discovered the white powder in a machine that was worth up to 160 million euros ($165 million).
According to officials, it took nearly a full week for the forensics officers to dismantle the machine after it was moved into a safe location.
The Luxembourg police have released images of armed officers standing before dozens of packages that contain the alleged cocaine. They said, “The drugs would be destroyed as soon as possible. ” According to the Grand Duchy Public Prosecutor, authorities found “just slightly more than 889 kilograms” of cocaine.
The machine was intercepted just as it was about to be delivered.
The authorities stated that the investigation was ongoing but did not give any further details about those arrested. Local news reported that a farm in the north, nestled between France, Germany, and Belgium, was seized.
According to a study done last month, the consumption of cocaine in France has nearly doubled. By 2023, 1.1 million French will have consumed cocaine. France now ranks 7th in Europe.
In November, Belgian authorities reported that they had discovered almost five tons of cocaine in shipping containers. Antwerp, one of Europe’s main drug-smuggling ports, is a frequent target.
Colombia is the largest producer of cocaine worldwide. Cocaine production in Colombia reached a record high in 2023, jumping 53 percent to 2,600 tons, according to the U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime.
