Employees at a Norwegian fruit distribution company uncovered a shipment of cocaine concealed inside banana boxes, prompting them to notify customs authorities.
Officials later confirmed the discovery of 147 kilograms of the drug, marking one of the country’s largest drug seizures in recent years.
According to Norwegian Customs, the cocaine—discovered on April 3 in nine boxes of bananas—has an estimated street value of 170 million kroner (about $16.4 million). It is the largest seizure since 2023, when authorities intercepted 2.3 tons of cocaine.
The shipment, smuggled from South America by sea and transported through Sweden in a trailer, was reportedly not intended for the Norwegian market. Investigations revealed that the final destination was the port of Antwerp, based on intelligence shared through international coordination with Europol and Belgian authorities.
Customs official Tim Gorek noted that the smuggling attempt was likely orchestrated by a powerful criminal organization. “A seizure of this size requires substantial financial resources and operational capacity—only major networks are capable of this,” he stated, adding, “These groups are willing to take significant risks and adapt quickly.”
