Italian police find cocaine hidden inside a banana shipment

Italian police on Friday discovered over 3 tons of pure cocaine in a container shipment from South America.

Police and customs officials raided the port of Gioia Tauro, in Calabria, southern Italy, and found almost 2.3 tons of the drug hidden in boxes of bananas, peanuts and pepper.

Another 850 kilograms (1,870 pounds) of cocaine were found on a truckload of washing machines and bananas that was stopped because of the driver's making a "suspicious maneuver" before it left the port. The driver was later arrested.

Police did not say which South American country the drugs came from or what it's final destination was. They estimated it could be worth up to €1 billion ($1.13 billion) when cut with other agents. They also described the drug as being very pure, and estimated dealers would cut it four times before it hits the market.

Calabria is home to the powerful Italian mafia group, the 'Ndrangheta.

The group specializes in cocaine trafficking and is believed to control about 80% of Europe's trade.

The DPA news agency contributed to this report.

Editor: Darko Janjevic