Post date: Jul 20, 2012 9:5:31 PM
BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA (JULY 19, 2012) (CUSTOMS HANDOUT) - Argentine customs authorities say they confiscated 536 kilograms (1,180 pounds) of high grade cocaine on Thursday (July 19) night, making it the biggest bust of its kind at Buenos Aires' Ezeiza International airport.
Cocaine with street value of more than 20 million U.S. dollars seized in Buenos Aires airport.
The blocks of cocaine were discovered hidden in drainage equipment destined for Nigeria where it is believed the narcotics would have then been shipped to Europe where authorities estimate it would have a street value of 20 million euros ($24 million dollars).
Customs director Maria Siomara Ayeran said the 490 tightly wrapped packages represent an important find for agents.
"It is truly a big find, especially for where we are which is in the Ezeiza Airport. The purity levels that we've received from the initial analysis done on site have revealed very high purity," Ayeran said.
Customs authorities said the name of the exporter, which was not released, was already on a watch list, meaning anything sent out of the country under that name was thoroughly checked.
They say two canine retrievers; "Tota" and "Gala" were fundamental in the find and quickly indicated the presence of narcotics in the package which was then searched.
Ayeran said the find adds to an already successful year of drug busts in Argentina.
"In this period, if we measure June, without counting this find, against the same period last year, we have already confiscated 1,200 kilos (2,545 pounds) of cocaine. This is 50 percent more than what we sequestered same time last year. So we are truly at an important level here," added Ayeran.
Authorities say they have leads on the source of the drugs, pointing to an international ring, and say an investigation is underway.