Greece: Four brits arrested for smuggling cocaine in banana shipment

Police in Greece announced on Friday that four British nationals have been arrested on drug smuggling charges after nearly 300 kilograms (660 pounds) of cocaine was found stashed in a shipment of bananas from South America.

The suspects were arrested on Thursday at a rental home near the northern Greek city of Thessaloniki and were identified only as middle-aged residents, ranging in age from 38 to 52, of London and Liverpool, police said, providing no further details.

A fifth British man, believed to be outside the country, was also wanted for questioning, police said.

The shipment of cocaine was divided into 260 packages. Credit: Hellenic Police

The arrests followed an international law enforcement operation that also involved Italian customs authorities and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Greek officials said, adding that the seized drugs had been bound for other European countries and Australia.

Police say that the total value of cocaine seized exceeds 10 million euros ($10.6 million). According to a police statement, apart from the cocaine which was divided into 260 packages, a pistol, cartridges, signal interference devices and more than ten mobile phones were seized.