Overview
- Chilean customs and investigators confirmed the seizure of more than 100 tonnes of illegal drugs concealed inside timber exports destined for Europe, which authorities called a record haul with an estimated European street value above €7 billion.
- The discovery followed a six‑month probe that identified 45 containers arriving from Bolivia containing timber laced largely with cocaine and ketamine.
- Authorities said traffickers intended to use specialized chemical methods in overseas laboratories to extract the drugs from the wood.
- Investigators are still inspecting additional suspect containers and say the total amount seized could increase as the probe continues.
- Chilean officials described the case as a major blow to organized crime and said multinational follow‑up and judicial steps will be needed, though no arrests or final court outcomes have been reported so far.