Last week, detectives and officers of the Koper Police Administration found and seized a large amount of illicit drugs in the Koper port area. The police arrested two foreign nationals based on reasonable suspicion of the crime of unauthorised production and trafficking in illegal drugs, illicit substances in sport and precursors for manufacturing illegal drugs (pursuant to Article 186 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Slovenia).

Port security guards spotted two suspicious divers in the protected zone

On the morning of 14 March 2024, the operations and communications centre of the Koper Police Administration was informed that security guards in the port of Koper had spotted two divers in the port's security zone near Sermin. Police were dispatched to the scene where, in the immediate vicinity, they apprehended a 41-year-old citizen of Albania and a 36-year-old citizen of Brazil. They both wore diving gear and had no personal identification documents. As their identity could not be determined or confirmed on the spot in any other way, they were taken to the police station.

The police performed an underwater inspection of the cargo ship at the berth and found more than 200 kg of cocaine

As the apprehended divers could not explain to the police the purpose of them being in the port's security zone, an inspection of the area was carried out. The police found that there was a cargo ship at the berth, which had sailed in from South America. Following the procedure with the two foreign nationals and based on all on-the-spot findings, the police carried out an underwater inspection of the cargo ship. During the underwater inspection of the ship's seawater cooling system, a number of packages containing a total of 206 kg of an unknown substance were found. A preliminary test of the substance showed it was cocaine.

The two suspects were arrested and remanded in custody

The suspects were arrested in accordance with the Criminal Procedure Act. The police inspected the crime scene, collected information and brought the suspects before the investigating judge on the following day, 15 March 2024. At the request of the prosecution, the investigating judge remanded the two suspects in custody. The commission of this crime is punishable by imprisonment for a term of 5 to 15 years. Detectives continue to collect information.

The seized drugs could fetch up to EUR 32 million on the black market

The seized illicit drug is cocaine which, when sold on the black market, could fetch substantive illicit proceeds of between EUR 9 and 32 million.

In recent years, a number large shipments of illicit drugs and their precursors have been intercepted in the area of the Port of Koper, which points to effective control and functioning of the Port of Koper's security system.