AICHI (TR) – Nagoya Customs last month seized 177 kilograms of cocaine from a freighter from South America that arrived in Toyohashi City. The seizure is the largest on record, reports the Sankei Shimbun (Sept. 26).
In the middle of August, customs and coast guard officials seized the contraband, packed in plastic bags, from the bottom of the ship after its arrival at Mikawa Port.
The cocaine, which has a street value of about 3.5 billion yen, was concealed in an area where water enters the ship to cool its engines. The country of origin of the ship was not provided.
At least one sailor aboard the ship is undergoing questioning on suspicion of smuggling narcotics.
Last year, customs officials seized a total of 155 kilograms of cocaine nationwide. Included in that total was the 115 kilograms of cocaine found concealed in backpacks aboard a freighter at the Port of Yokohama. The amount was the previous record.
A total of 118 kilograms of cocaine washed ashore at Yokosuka City, Kanagawa Prefecture in November, 2013.
