Bolivia’s Special Force for the Fight against Narcotics (FELCN), the national customs service and prosecutors found 356.75 kg of cannabis in two shipments at Viru Viru International Airport in Santa Cruz, the Viceministry of Social Defence and Controlled Substances said.[1][2]

The packages had arrived from Miami addressed to Santa Cruz, and the cannabis was hidden in sound amplifiers, water pumps and industrial machinery, the Viceministry said.[1] Field tests identified it as wet marijuana with a high resin content.[1][2] The first intervention yielded 5.05 kg and the second 351.70 kg.[1][2]

The next day, Friday 20 February, inspectors found a third suspicious package, an industrial compressor, addressed to the same person as the earlier shipments, La Patria reported.[2] Forensic experts were still opening and weighing it.[2] The intended recipient was a 23-year-old whose identity was withheld.[2]

The Viceministry said the drugs were held under chain of custody and that documents and possible recipients were under investigation.[1] It did not report any arrests.[1][2] The operation formed part of the “Alerta Aeropuerto” plan.[1][2] La Patria reported that the government would seek cooperation from the United States and Uruguay to trace the network.[2]