Security officers in Philadelphia have seized over 16.5 tons of cocaine from a cargo ship belonging to The Mediterranean Shipping Co. on Tuesday, following a raid at the Packer Marine Terminal.
The banned substance is said to have been put aboard the ship in Chile and had passed Panama and Bahama before it was discovered at the terminal.
While reporting the incidence to CBS News, an officer with the Drug Enforcement Agency said, “This is one of the largest drug seizures in United States history,” U.S. Attorney William McSwain, Eastern District of Pennsylvania, tweeted on Tuesday. “This amount of cocaine could kill millions – MILLIONS – of people. My Office is committed to keeping our borders secure and streets safe from deadly narcotics.”
In its reaction to the clamp down the shipping company stated that it was “aware of reports of an incident at the Port of Philadelphia in which U.S. authorities made a seizure of illicit cargo. MSC takes this matter very seriously and is grateful to the authorities for identifying any suspected abuse of its services.”
It further stressed that the company “is committed to working with authorities and industry groups worldwide to improve the security of the international supply chain and ensure that illegal practices are dealt with promptly and thoroughly by the relevant authorities.”
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