Colombia’s national police have discovered nearly 3,000 kilograms of liquid cocaine in what is said to be the largest seizure of liquid cocaine in Colombia’s history, the country’s police chief announced via Twitter on Wednesday morning.
General Rodolfo Palomino, chief of Colombia’s National Police, announced via the social media site that the substance was mixed with dielectric oil and found inside of an electrical transformer. According to Palomino, 53% of the oil found inside of the transformer was actually liquid cocaine.
The discovery was made in the northern Colombian port of Cartagena, though the shipment was allegedly bound for Santo Tomas de Castilla, Guatemala.
According to Colombia’s RCN Radio, the police chief estimates the stash is worth nearly $70 million.
“This is the largest seizure of processed liquid cocaine in the country’s history, there were 2,877 kilos, close to three tons mixed with dielectric oil,” Palomino said.
Initial reports from RCN allege that the shipment belonged to the criminal gang, “Los Urabeños.”
FACTSHEET: Los Urabeños
The news comes a few days after seven tons of cocaine were seized in Cartagena, one of the country’s largest cocaine busts in recent years, which was also linked to “Los Urabeños.”
MORE: Police: Largest cocaine shipment in six years, links to neo-paramilitaries
In 2014, Colombian authorities have already confiscated almost 30 tons of cocaine, 13,000 kilos of which have been found in ports. This exceeds all 2013 port seizures.
Incautados 2.877 kilos de cocaína al interior de un transformador en Cartagena. Mezclaron droga y aceite. pic.twitter.com/IkBPOnTN2J
— General Palomino (@GeneralPalomino) April 15, 2014
Sources
- @GeneralPalomino (Twitter)
- Cayó en Cartagena el mayor cargamento de cocaína líquida (RCN Radio)