Italian port seizes 770 kg of cocaine in major drug bust
Italian port intercepts 770 kg cocaine in second major seizure within three weeks.
Event / Security
Italy Cocaine Seizures Port Vado
Italian financial police and customs seized 770 kg of high-purity cocaine valued at 250 million euros at the port of Vado Ligure on July 21, 2026, concealed in banana pallets from Ecuador. A second major seizure of 340 kg occurred at the same port approximately three weeks earlier, representing among the most significant anti-drug operations at the port in recent years.
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2026-08-15 to 2026-11-12 · UTC publication dates
Coverage begins 21 Jul, 11:31 UTC
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What happened
Italian authorities seize 770 kg of cocaine in port of Vado Ligure
Italian financial police and customs announced the seizure of 770 kg of high-purity cocaine at the port of Vado Ligure in northwestern Italy. The cocaine was valued at approximately 250 million euros at street value. The drug was concealed among dozens of pallets of bananas inside a refrigerated container that originated from one of Ecuador's major ports. This seizure represents one of the most significant anti-drug operations conducted in recent years at the port of Vado Ligure.
Italian port seizes second major cocaine shipment in three weeks
Less than three weeks before the 770 kg seizure, Italian law enforcement seized an additional 340 kg of cocaine at the same port of Vado Ligure, valued at approximately 120 million euros at street value. This represents a pattern of major drug trafficking interdictions at the port.
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