The container arrived on Thursday, June 12, 2025, by cargo ship from West Africa and was unloaded in the Amsterdam port. Thanks to a thorough inspection conducted by customs officers with the help of sniffer dogs and scanning equipment, the narcotics were discovered. The cocaine, with a wholesale value of over 112 million euros, was immediately seized and has since been destroyed.

The HARC-NZKG (North Sea Canal Area), a collaboration between Customs, the Fiscal Intelligence and Investigation Service (FIOD), and the police, under the direction of the Public Prosecution Service Amsterdam, has launched an investigation into the case.

In this investigation, on Tuesday, June 24, 2025, a 42-year-old man from Amsterdam was arrested who may be involved in the smuggling of the drugs, and business premises were searched. It is not ruled out that more arrests will follow during the course of the investigation.

The HARC team emphasizes the importance of daily efforts to combat the import of narcotics through Dutch ports. The successful interception is an important result of ongoing cooperation and intensive inspections in the port of Amsterdam.