Colombia seizes 5.2 tons of cocaine hidden in banana shipment

Military authorities of Colombia states that it seized 5.2 tons of cocaine yesterday (March 6), hidden in a shipment of bananas destined for export to Belgium and belonging to the Gulf Clan, the country's largest criminal gang. The drugs, worth an estimated 350 million euros (434 million USD approx.) were found in a container in Turbo's cargo terminal, a port located in Antioquia department on the Caribbean Sea. No arrests were made in what was the largest anti-drug operation in Colombia to date this year. The leader of the Gulf Clan, Dairo Antonio Usuga, also known as "Otoniel," is wanted by the United States who is offering a reward of up to 5 million dollars for information leading to his arrest or death. Colombia remains one of the world's leading producers of cocaine with an annual production of some 910 tons (826 tonnes) despite the efforts of the Colombian government to combat the cultivation and trafficking of illicit substances.