Summary

The Dominican Republic seized a record 9.5 tonnes of cocaine, worth $250 million, in a banana shipment at Santo Domingo’s Caucedo port.

The drugs, shipped from Guatemala and destined for Belgium, mark the country’s largest drug bust, surpassing a 2006 seizure of 2.6 tonnes.

Authorities detained ten suspects and highlighted increasing trafficking activity through the Caribbean.

Analysts at InSight Crime warn the region is becoming a key smuggling route for cocaine to Europe, where demand has more than doubled since 2011, leveraging the Dominican Republic’s major transport hubs.

  • Dasus@lemmy.world
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    16 days ago

    Honestly, people don’t realise just how little this makes any sort of difference.

    A few weeks of the markets in a few particular places being a bit dry, if even that.

    So fucking moronic letting this massive trade be ruled by criminals and actively using societies money for a war that is completely fucking useless.

    • technocrit@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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      16 days ago

      It doesn’t do anything to “stop drugs”. But it makes a big difference to the careers of all the storm troopers and related industries. Give out some promotions! Buy some more military gear!

  • bangsnooter@lemmy.zip
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    16 days ago

    Apparent price of cocaine math:

    9.5tons × 2,000lbs = 19,000lbs

    $250mil ÷ 19,000lbs = $13,158 per lb

    $13,158 ÷ 16 = $822 per oz

    $822 ÷ 3 = $274 per teaspoon of cocaine

    “How much could a banana cost? $274 dollars?”

    • GreyEyedGhost@lemmy.ca
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      16 days ago

      I don’t know a lot about recreational drugs or street drugs, but aren’t they made less pure at the final destination?

      Edit: very cursory reading puts cocaine at around 65% pure, which means about $600 per ounce?

    • swampdownloader@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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      16 days ago

      In units of actual drugs: 9,500kg $250m

      $263/gram Street price in Australia, maybe, but extremely overestimated. Assuming they cut it, likely closer to $150/g in the street upon distribution in Europe.

  • x00z@lemmy.world
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    16 days ago

    Bro, we here in Belgium were waiting for that. Why the hell do you steal our goods?