Bolivia announces biggest-ever cocaine bust at nearly 9 tons

Bolivia announced a record cocaine seizure from the country's western Oruro department, officials said on Friday, giving the drugs a local street value of $224 million but nearly double that in Europe where the illicit cargo was likely headed. Bolivian President Luis Arce described the roughly 8.8 metric ton bust as the largest ever recorded in the South American country in a post on social media.

Bolivia announced a record cocaine seizure from the country's western Oruro department, officials said on Friday, giving the drugs a local street value of $224 million but nearly double that in Europe where the illicit cargo was likely headed.

Bolivian President Luis Arce described the roughly 8.8 metric ton bust as the largest ever recorded in the South American country in a post on social media. He added the drugs were hidden in wooden flooring materials found in a truck, and were likely destined to the Netherlands where their value would be estimated at some $526 million. The operation also included the arrest of four suspected drug traffickers, stemming from nine raids, according to officials.

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