Hungarian authorities have announced the seizure of a record 522 kilograms of cocaine concealed within banana shipments arriving from South America, in what officials described as one of the largest drug interceptions in the country’s history.
Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, Mátyás Csupor, head of the Drug Crime Division of Hungary’s National Bureau of Investigation (KR NNI), said the confiscated cocaine had an estimated street value of around 15 billion forints.
The shipment originated in Ecuador and was hidden among containers of bananas destined for Hungary via Germany. Hungarian authorities were alerted by French customs officials in November 2025 about a container suspected of carrying narcotics.
According to investigators, the containers arrived at the German port of Bremen on 17 November before continuing their journey into Central Europe. Six containers were transported to Hungary by rail, while 14 others were sent to Romania by truck.
The investigation quickly developed into a multinational operation involving Hungarian, German, Czech and Slovak law enforcement agencies, as well as Hungary’s National Tax and Customs Administration (NAV).
Hungarian Authorities Seize Record 522 Kilograms of Cocaine Hidden in Banana Shipment
