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More than €60 million worth of cocaine found floating off Belgian coast

15:50 06/04/2017

The maritime police this week recovered 25 sports bags from the North Sea off the coast of Belgium. The bags contained 50-kilo packets of cocaine, for a total street value of about €62.5 million, reports De Standaard.

The police were alerted by the crew of a Danish ship last weekend after it spotted a black sports bag floating off the coast near Ostend. When the police went to investigate they found not only one, but 25 bags. Some of the bags were held together by tape and kept afloat with empty bottles. All of them were chock-full of cocaine. “A record haul," says the maritime police.

According to judicial sources, the bags were likely thrown from the deck of a South American cargo ship and meant to be picked up by a fishing boat.

The captain of the ship was questioned by the police, but denies any involvement.

Written by Robyn Boyle