This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-35082219
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Spain cocaine seizure: Drug disguised as wooden pallets | Spain cocaine seizure: Drug disguised as wooden pallets |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| Spanish police say they have seized dozens of pallets made out of 1.4 tonnes of compressed cocaine that was made to look like wood. | Spanish police say they have seized dozens of pallets made out of 1.4 tonnes of compressed cocaine that was made to look like wood. |
| They also uncovered cocaine disguised as charcoal as part of the same shipment from Colombia to Valencia. | They also uncovered cocaine disguised as charcoal as part of the same shipment from Colombia to Valencia. |
| The authorities have arrested at least 11 people in Spain, Britain and Dubai. | |
| Spanish customs officials say in recent years they have found cocaine in breast implants, a wig and even a plaster cast encasing a man's broken leg. | Spanish customs officials say in recent years they have found cocaine in breast implants, a wig and even a plaster cast encasing a man's broken leg. |
| Police suspect that smugglers used a charcoal company in Spain as a front to import the cocaine. | Police suspect that smugglers used a charcoal company in Spain as a front to import the cocaine. |
| The drugs were then extracted from pallets and charcoal, processed and distributed around Europe. | The drugs were then extracted from pallets and charcoal, processed and distributed around Europe. |
| Spain is seen as the main entry point in Europe for drug smugglers from South America. | Spain is seen as the main entry point in Europe for drug smugglers from South America. |
| The UK National Crime Agency said 11 people had been arrested: six men from Liverpool held in the UK and Dubai, and another five - two Colombians, two Peruvians and a Spaniard - in the Spanish region of Valencia. | |
| A Spanish police statement (in Spanish) said a total of 12 people had been arrested, including a man held in Madrid several months ago. |