Russian authorities have seized a record 820 kilograms of cocaine concealed beneath a shipment of bananas. The illicit cargo, intercepted at a port facility, is valued at over 12 billion rubles (approximately Ksh.19 billion), making it the country’s largest Latin American drug bust this year.
According to Russia’s Federal Customs Service, the operation was conducted jointly with the powerful Federal Security Service (FSB) following intelligence shared by foreign law enforcement partners. Authorities said the cocaine was hidden in a “hidden cavity” beneath the banana cargo and packed in briquettes that bore the branding of a French luxury fashion house likely an attempt to throw off suspicion.
Russian newspaper Izvestia reports that cocaine smuggling into Russia has risen sharply over the past two years. The trend is partly attributed to the disruption of traditional trafficking routes through the Ukrainian port city of Odesa, which has been rendered inaccessible amid Russia’s ongoing military offensive. As a result, drug traffickers are increasingly viewing Russia not only as a lucrative destination market but also as a convenient transit hub.
The customs service confirmed that the drug shipment originated from Latin America and was linked to a South American criminal organization. An official investigation has been launched under charges of large-scale drug trafficking, which carries the maximum penalty of life imprisonment in Russia. The country maintains a strict zero-tolerance policy on drug smuggling and use, with harsh penalties even for minor infractions. Foreigners caught with small amounts of narcotics often face long prison sentences.
This dramatic cocaine seizure underscores both the scale and sophistication of international drug networks and the growing appeal of Russia as a key node in global trafficking routes. Authorities have not disclosed the specific location of the port where the drugs were seized or whether arrests have been made, but the investigation remains ongoing.
The bust highlights Russia’s deepening cooperation with international security agencies and its continued crackdown on narcotics entering its borders.
