MADRID, Oct. 24 (Xinhua) -- A joint operation by Spanish Civil Guards and National Police on Wednesday led to the seizure of over 6,000 kg of cocaine in Malaga, southern Spain, in what is thought to be the second biggest seizure of cocaine ever made on land in Europe.
The police informed that the drug, which has an estimated street value of over 360 million euros (410 million U.S. dollars), was discovered in a shipment of bananas in a warehouse at the Santa Teresa industrial estate on the city's outskirts.
A total of 15 people have been arrested in connection with the discovery, but since the operation is still ongoing, Spanish media reported that the number of arrests could rise to up to 30.
The operation included members of the anti-drugs and organized crime unit (Udyco and Greco) of the National Police and the Civil Guards Central Operations Unit (UCO), with witnesses describing how "at least" 20 camouflaged cars and three vans belonging to anti-disturbance police descended on the warehouse.
The building is situated in a quiet part of the industrial estate and had only recently been rented out. Inside the building, the police also discovered a freezer truck, vans, and a Chrysler Voyager vehicle.
This discovery comes just 24 hours after the police confirmed the seizure of a further 1,400 kg of cocaine from a tugboat which was intercepted by agents from Udyco in an operation around 1,000 nautical miles off the coast of the Canary Islands in the Atlantic Ocean.
Ports in the south and southwest of Spain are used by organizations looking to smuggle cocaine from Latin America. The biggest haul of cocaine ever seized in Europe was in the southern port of Algeciras in April this year, when police and customs agents discovered a container with 8,740 kg of cocaine inside.
