Colombian authorities seize 234 kg of cocaine in cattle hides

Bogota, Nov 23 (EFE). —  Colombian antinarcotics police seized 234 kg (516 pounds) of cocaine at the ports of Cartagena (north) and Buenaventura (southwest) hidden in cattle skins and heading towards Netherlands and Mexico, said the police Sunday.

The first 163 kilos (359 pounds) of hallucinogen were seized at the Cartagena port during an inspection of containers carrying leathers to Rotterdam in Netherlands, according to a police statement.

The statement adds traffickers were looking to trick authorities by impregnating 66 skins with the cocaine.

The second operation was carried out in Buenaventura port, the main Colombian port in the Pacific, where containers carrying cattle hides to Manzanillo in Mexico were also inspected.

The 71 kg (157 pounds) of cocaine were hidden in sheets attached to the skin, according to the police.

No arrests were made during these operations, although the police are hunting for gangs shipping cocaine impregnated in clothing, furs and paintings to mainly Central American and European countries.

With this the Colombian police have seized more than 149.4 tonnes of cocaine in the country so far this year.