Italian authorities seized roughly 1,700 pounds of cocaine hidden among pallets of bananas at a major port, officials said Tuesday.

The drugs were divided into 650 packages and “skillfully concealed” inside a refrigerated shipping container that arrived at the port of Vado Ligure from one of Ecuador’s main ports, according to Italy’s Guardia di Finanza.

Investigation and Seizure

A field test conducted during the inspection determined the substance was “extremely pure cocaine,” officials said.

The shipment could have generated an estimated 250 million euros, or nearly $290 million, if it had reached the street market.

The seizure followed an extensive analysis of commercial shipping routes linking South America with Vado Ligure, an important gateway for goods entering Europe — and an “attractive” target for international drug traffickers, according to officials.

The operation forms part of an ongoing and targeted effort to combat the international trafficking of narcotics, including efforts to protect the most vulnerable segments of the population, who are often exposed to the harmful effects of this type of criminal activity, Guardia di Finanza said.

Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.