A record 22 tons of cocaine was seized during a military operation in Ecuador, officials said on Monday, in one of the largest drug confiscations in the country.

In the last two weeks, Ecuador has been witnessing an internal armed conflict against cartels and organized crime.

The military said in a statement that the drugs, which were distributed in 733 packages, were likely destined for transport across Asia, Europe, and the Americas. It added that the operation was preceded by six months of planning and monitoring.

On Sunday, the armed forces of Ecuador posted a video on X showing huge stacks of parcels wrapped up with plastic film, some of which were labeled with the names of major airlines at a site in the city of Vincennes in central Ecuador.

🇪🇨 | EN VIDEO: Ecuador asesta el mayor golpe al narcotráfico de su historia reciente, incautando al menos 22 toneladas de droga, en un operativo en el centro del país. pic.twitter.com/nJCqzMgXcj

— UHN PLUS (@UHN_Plus) January 22, 2024

The confiscation took place as top US officials are expected to visit the country, seeking stronger ties in the fight against organized crime.

Meanwhile, the military crackdown on gangs launched by the Ecuadorian government continues, during which 2,700 people have been arrested in 13 days.

Sunday’s confiscation exceeds the 9.6 tonnes of cocaine discovered in 2021 behind a false wall in the coastal city of Guayaquil, destined for shipment to Mexico and the US, which authorities then estimated could fetch about $450 million.

The mammoth quantity of 22 tons, in a first calculation and with a price of around 20,000 euros per kilo, would bring about 440,000,000 euros. The price of cocaine has dropped by almost 50% due to overproduction in Latin American countries of origin in 2023, but also an increase in the confiscation of many containers on ships arriving in European ports.

2023 saw a record number of arrests in Spanish ports, with around 20 tonnes more seized than in 2022. In Spain, the price of cocaine per kilo has dropped to 18-20,000 euros, compared to the price of 33,000 euros a kilo a few years ago.

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