The Chilean National Customs Service reported this Sunday (23.02.2025/XNUMX/XNUMX) on the discovery of a sophisticated method of concealing drugs in a vehicle. What looked like a double-cab pickup truck with its cargo compartment empty ended up revealing a sophisticated method of concealment for drug trafficking. The discovery occurred in the Customs outpost of El Loa, near the border with the Antofagasta Region, when the scanner truck detected irregularities in the structure of the vehicle.
Following the alert generated by the images, officers from the Drugs team of the Iquique Regional Customs Office interviewed the driver, a 47-year-old Colombian citizen, who stated that he had left Alto Hospicio, a city located in the Tarapacá Region, bound for the Metropolitan Region.
However, the physical inspection confirmed the suspicions: the cargo area of the truck had been modified with a false bottom hidden under metal plates. Inside, the officers found 44 packages sealed with adhesive tape. Field tests confirmed that they contained marijuana, with a total weight of 46.469 grams.
El Regional Director of Customs in Iquique, Cristian Molina, stressed the importance of detection: “This is a significant find in terms of volume. Once again, the truck scanner technology proves its effectiveness, allowing our specialists to identify modifications to the bodies for concealing illicit cargo. In this case, it is a significant amount of marijuana, but X-ray images also allow us to detect contraband cigarettes and other products.“.
Following instructions from the Tarapacá Regional Prosecutor’s Office, the driver and the seized drugs were placed at the disposal of the Investigative Police to continue with the corresponding proceedings.
