COCAINE FOUND ON GRIMALDI SHIP "GRANDE NIGERIA".

120 kilograms of cocaine packed in four bags were aboard the ventilation system of the 'Grande Nigeria' on Jan 28, 2020. The drugs were hidden in the ventilation system compartments of the vessel, A team from the Mixed Container and Vessel Control Unit (Umcc) of the Customs Subdivision of the Dakar Autonomous Port, assisted by personnel of the Scientific Police and the Central Office for the Suppression of Illicit Traffic narcotics (Ocrtis), investigated and searched the ship. The packaging, the brands and identifiers on the newly seized wafers were different from those on the wafers that were the subject of different seizures in 2019. The crew members were being questioned and the investigation followed its course in connection with the Prosecutor's office.
Custom officers were tipped off on drugs contraband by an informant. The ship had arrived at Dakar of Jan 24, coming from Brazil. It already had been involved in two cases of drug trafficking, the latest having been also in Dakar in June 2019, another one was in Santos in 2018.

Details from 2019:
Grimaldi’s ro-ro in record cocaine bust
Wed Jul 03 19:39:25 CEST 2019 arnekiel
Senegalese Customs officers announced record cocaine bust on Jun 30, after they found 750 kilo of pure cocaine hidden in 15 Renault brand new cars, on board of Grimaldi’s ro-ro GRANDE NIGERIA in Dakar, Senegal. The ship arrived at Dakar on Jun 24 from Paranagua Brazil. 4 cars with cocaine bags hidden inside were bound for Hamburg, 11 for Tema Ghana.

Details from 2018:
Cocaine found in suitcases
Fri Aug 10 09:34:39 CEST 2018 Timsen
Port security at Santos spotted suspicious activity at the berth of the "Grande Nigeria" on Aug 7, 2018, at dawn on CCTV cameras. A speedboat came alongside and some objects were hoisted from boat to the cargo deck, i.e. there were people on board waiting for the boat. Police and Port Security officers couldn’t reach the ship in time to detain the perpetrators, bit during a search of the ship 18 suitcases were found in containers with rice and scrap. The waterproof suitcases contained cocaine, of 1,2 tons weight. An investigation was launched, probing an involvement of both port workers and crew members. The ship left Santos on Aug 9, bound r for Europe. The containers where the suitcases were hidden had been destined for Antwerp.

IMO: 9246580 / Built 2003 / Flag: Italian / Homeport: Palermo

Photo:

"Grande Nigeria" - Palermo, passing Cuxhaven inbound for Hamburg, 13 June 2010.

Copyright - Øystein Berge, Ålgård/Norway

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