9.5 tons of cocaine hidden in bananas seized, destined for Belgium

Authorities in the Dominican Republic announced they have seized almost 9.5 tons of cocaine contained in a shipment of bananas.

This is the largest drug seizure in the country's history.

The drugs, worth 236 million euros, were found in a shipment that arrived at the country's main port, Caucedo, in the capital Santo Domingo.

The shipment had originated in Guatemala and was destined for Belgium, according to Carlos Devers, a spokesman for the Dominican Republic's anti-drug agency.

Accordingly, ten people have been arrested in connection with this event, The Guardian reports.

"Initial investigations indicate that a container of bananas arrived from Guatemala. Multiple unknown individuals attempted to transfer the drugs to another container, which was to be shipped to Belgium," Devers said at a press conference.

He stressed that this is the largest seizure ever made in the country, surpassing a 2006 seizure of 2.6 tons of drugs.

Dominican Republic authorities have seized almost 47 tons of drugs so far this year.