Tons of cocaine hidden in 217 containers of spicy salsa
Mexican authorities said to have discovered more than 13 tons of the drug in the shipment from Ecuador
Tubs of spicy salsa being shipped through Mexico were found to have a surprise special ingredient: cocaine.
Marines from Mexico sixth naval region and officials from the Customs Administration Service seized hundreds of tubs of spicy salsa with packages of cocaine concealed inside them, according to the Mexican navy.
The shipment was located on Tuesday in the port of Manzanillo in Colima.
Footage released by marines in the Pacific state of Colima showed officials cutting open the lids of the red salsa and pulling out bags of cocaine from the sauce.
According to officials, 217 salsa tubs, which weighed 60 kilos (132 pounds) each, were seized. Each tub contained a bag of cocaine. Mexican officials have not revealed the total weight of the drugs confiscated, but Reuters reports that a little over 13 tons was found.
The tubs of salsa originated in Guayaquil, Ecuador, and were marked with the final destination of Mazatlan in Sinaloa state, the stomping ground of captured drug lord Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman. (Guzmán was captured in Mazatlan in February 2014.)
Upon performing a noninvasive search, authorities discovered atypical densities in the containers. After opening the containers and doing field tests, officials determined that the substance was cocaine.