Some five tonnes of cocaine found hidden among a shipment of decorative plants in Costa Rica was destined for Rotterdam, officials have confirmed.

The consignment, the biggest drugs seizure ever made in Costa Rica, had been divided into 4,048 packages of one kilo and packed in hundreds of identical black bags. The driver, who took the drugs to the port in Limon, has been arrested.

Police and customs officials working at Rotterdam port seized at least 28 tonnes of cocaine in 2019, including 15 ‘major hauls’ of 500 kg. The largest single shipment – three tonnes – was seized in August.

The biggest ever cocaine seizure made in Rotterdam was 4.2 tonnes, in 2005.