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Last year, customs found 60,000 kilos of coke, more drugs at airports

Customs seized almost 60,000 kilos of cocaine at Dutch seaports and airports last year, according to the annual overview published today. That is more than in 2022, when more than 51,000 kilos of coke were found.

Customs made the largest catches in the seaports of Rotterdam and Vlissingen. This involved 140 seized shipments of coke. This included a record seizure of 8,000 kilos of cocaine. It came to Rotterdam from Ecuador via Panama.

Customs most often found the drugs in the cooling motor of containers. Furthermore, customs found drugs among the goods that were transported and processed in the container itself, such as in the bottom.

In Rotterdam, customs scanned 40 percent more containers last year than in 2022. In addition, a lot of effort was made to stay ahead of criminals. For example, underwater drones and smart cameras have been used. With the help of a drone, customs were able to intercept drug smugglers on underwater scooters.

Airport
There has been an increase in the number of kilos of cocaine found at Dutch airports. Last year, almost 2,250 kilos of coke were intercepted there, in 2022 that was 1,300 kilos.

Fewer drugs with the Netherlands as destination have been found in countries in Latin America. Customs has started a project with the Brazilian authorities to exchange scan images. Customs treaties have also been concluded with Costa Rica and Panama, among others, to enable more information to be exchanged.

Ejectors
Earlier this month, extractors were arrested several nights in a row in Rotterdam: people who remove drugs from containers on behalf of criminals.

Many performers are remarkably young. For example, two boys aged 14 and 15 were arrested at the beginning of this month . A female stripper was also found for the first time in the port of Rotterdam.