Crates stacked with cocaine potentially worth millions have been found in banana packing cases in several German supermarkets including Lidl.
Employees at discount stores in Berlin made the startling discovery earlier today while they were unpacking the latest crates, meant to have been filled with the fruit. The find sparked a major police operation with officers being seen armed with submachine guns taking up positions in front of the branches to guard the contraband.
It is understood at least four discount stores were found to have secret stashes of cocaine, although the exact number found has not been made public. A Lidl branch in Schönefeld and one in Marienfelde, both on the outskirts of the German capital, were swarmed by police. A Lidle spokesperson told The Mirror: "We cannot provide any information about ongoing proceedings. Lidl in Germany is in contact with the relevant authorities regarding the incident."
According to German outlet Bild, between 20 and 100kgs (between 705 and 7,053 ounces) were found in each supermarket. Police are still in the process of examining the contraband at the discount stores.
A Berlin police department spokesperson confirmed to Bild that they were alerted about the cocaine stashes around midday. The drugs have since been moved and secured by Brandenburg police, who operate close to the capital.
Berlin Police spokesperson Beate Kardels confirmed the drugs were found in banana crates as well as among other fruit. “According to an initial assessment by the alerted police forces, the packages could contain narcotics," she told the outlet.
She continued: "Due to the amount of packages found and the number of markets affected, the Joint Drug Investigation Group at the Brandenburg State Criminal Police Office is coordinating the further investigations in close cooperation with the Berlin police and the Berlin-Brandenburg customs investigation office.”
The Mirror has contacted the Berlin and Brandenburg police departments for comment.
While Germany partly decriminalised marijuana use on April 1, cocaine and many other drugs remain illegal in the country. According to the German legal firm Schlun & Elseven "around 20 tonnes of cocaine were seized" in the country in 2022.