Spanish authorities have seized hundreds of kilograms of cocaine on board the Izmit Express, a container ship of Arkas Line, and 104 containers on board have been seized.
According to Spanish media reports, the 2,586TEU “Izmit Express” (built in 2017) arrived at the Atlantic port of Vigo on November 17.
During the voyage, the captain discovered suspicious packages in the cargo hold and immediately notified the authorities. During the initial inspection, a total of 24 kilograms of cocaine were seized. Although the ship subsequently left the port, the authorities detained the 104 containers it was carrying.
The latest report from local media said that in the latest search, Spanish authorities found 432 packages containing a total of 524 kilograms of cocaine in the bottom compartment of a container loaded with bananas. Customs officials had to drill a hole in the container to take out the cocaine.
Arkas Line issued a statement on the incident saying that the Arkas Group does not own the cargo or containers on the Izmit Express as the vessel is operated under a charter agreement.