Buenos Aires, 23 January 2025 (dpa/MIA) - Colombian security forces have seized 8.2 tons of cocaine in the port of the city of Buenaventura on the Pacific coast, one of the largest drug busts in the history of the country, President Gustavo Petro said on Wednesday.

"National police seize 8.2 tonnes of cocaine in the port of Buenaventura," Petro said on X. "It is one of the largest seizures of cocaine in Colombia's history. So far this month the national police have seized 24 tons."

Last year, a total of 848.5 tons of cocaine were seized in Colombia – a record and a 14% increase over the same period last year.

After the United States, Europe is the largest market for cocaine from Colombia, Peru and Bolivia.

More than 300 tons of cocaine were seized in European ports in 2023. In Antwerp alone, investigators seized a record 121 tons of cocaine – about 10% more than in the previous year.

Photo: EPA