Last year (2018) was already a record, but with two months left in 2019, Port of Rotterdam police have now seized a record amount of cocaine.
A De Telegraaf investigation, since been confirmed by Rotterdam office of the Public Prosecution Service, finds that the year has seen a 28% increase in cocaine seized at the busy port. In 2018, some 18,000 kilos were seized, compared to 23,000 so far in 2019.
With the dramatic spike in drug seizures this year, which have included some of Europe’s biggest ever, much has been called on to try and curb the transport. Rotterdam’s mayor has called for increased cooperation between Dutch investigators and Central and South American officials. Additionally, an increase in port worker safety has also been called for given organized crimes increasing the targetting of such workers.
With two months left in the year, authorities expect the final seizure tallies to be significantly higher given that November and December are known as peak cocaine smuggling season.
Featured Image: Senior Master Sgt. Raymond Sarracino [Public domain]
