In Ecuador, sniffer dogs discovered 6.23 tonnes of cocaine hidden in a banana shipment, according to police reports. The dogs alerted their handlers, leading to the seizure of 5,630 parcels filled with cocaine, which was destined for Germany. The shipment’s street value would have been $224 million (£173 million). Following the discovery, five individuals were arrested, including a representative of the export company, who provided the names of four other suspects involved. The massive cocaine haul was found during a routine inspection at the Posorja deepwater port, near Guayaquil. The drugs were concealed beneath crates of bananas ready for export.

Ecuador has become a significant transit point for cocaine from Peru and Colombia, with criminal gangs using its ports to ship drugs to Europe and the US. Last year, Ecuadorian security forces seized over 200 tonnes of drugs, mostly cocaine, making it the third-highest drug-seizing nation after the US and Colombia. President Daniel Noboa has declared a state of emergency due to a surge in violent crime linked to these gangs, deploying thousands of police officers and soldiers to combat them. Despite efforts, extortion, kidnappings, and murders remain prevalent.