Russian customs and law enforcement authorities reported the seizure of more than 1.5 metric tons of cocaine hidden in a banana shipment from Ecuador, describing it as the country's largest drug bust to date. According to officials, 1,500 bricks of cocaine with a total net weight of 1,515 kilograms were concealed in 63 boxes of bananas aboard the vessel Cool Emerald. © Russian CustomsFootage released by the FSB showed boxes labeled "Twins," "Premium Bananas," and "Product of Ecuador" both inside and outside a container. Authorities did not specify whether Ecuador was the origin of the cargo or if it served as a transit point. Russia has increasingly become a transit route for cocaine from Latin America destined for Europe, particularly since Ukraine's Odesa port, formerly a key hub, closed following Russia's invasion in 2022.