Chile's National Customs Service intercepted a bus with 55 kilos 800 grams of cocaine hydrochloride at the Quillagua outpost, 234 kilometers south of Iquique. The drugs were hidden in the structure of the transport vehicle, which was traveling from the Bolivian city of Oruro to Antofagasta.
El Regional Director of the Iquique Customs, Cristian Molina Silva, said that the detection was possible thanks to risk profiling and the use of non-invasive technology. “Using the scanner truck, it was possible to establish the presence of various hidden packages in the structure, so we proceeded to intervene,” he said.
Customs officers found a total of 53 packages wrapped in black tape, which contained a total of 55 kilos 800 grams of high-purity cocaine hydrochloride, worth $1.116 billion pesos (USD 1 million) on the illicit market.
The drugs, evidence and drivers were handed over to the police on the instructions of the prosecutor on duty. The Trans Salvador bus was also detained and its passengers had to board other buses to continue their journey.
Aduana News is the first Argentine customs newspaper to launch its digital version. With 20 years of experience, its publications and initiatives aim to provide the most relevant knowledge on customs issues in order to contribute to safe trade in the region.
