Ukraine seizes tonne of cocaine in Venezuelan shipment
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| Published on Friday, July 30, 2010 |
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KIEV, Ukraine (AFP) -- Ukrainian security forces seized more than a tonne of cocaine at the Black Sea port of Odessa, the largest drugs haul on record in the country, authorities said on Thursday.
"In mid-July, two containers arrived in Odessa from Venezuela. After a detailed examination, 1,192.95kg (4,400 pounds) of cocaine was discovered, divided into 1,200 portions, enough for 12 million doses," the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) said in a statement.
The haul was worth an estimated 180 million dollars on the black market and was the largest ever made, the statement said.
Five suspects were arrested -- two Ukrainians, a Russian, a German and a Bulgarian.
At a government meeting in the beginning of July, President Viktor Yanukovych brandished samples of drugs which he said his aides had bought on the Internet, criticising efforts by security forces to prevent drug trafficking.
Ukraine is a major hub for drugs entering western Europe. | | | | Reads : 584 | | | |
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