The Danish National Crime Agency has reported the discovery of a large consignment of cocaine in twelve different Coop supermarkets.
The drugs were found in banana boxes in stores in two police districts: North Zealand and Central West Zealand. Among the stores affected was the Kvickly supermarket in Kalundborg.
The discovery was made on Monday and Tuesday, prompting an immediate response not only from the police but also from the Coop chain itself, which is actively cooperating with the investigation. NSK representatives say that a ‘large amount’ of cocaine was seized, but are not yet ready to specify the exact quantity in the interests of the investigation.
As part of the investigation, an employee of one of the Coop stores was arrested on Wednesday. During a search of his car in the town of Høje, another kilogram of cocaine was found in the boot. The court hearing with the detainee was held in camera, and it is currently unknown whether this arrest is directly related to the overall case involving the large quantity of drugs found.
In similar cases in the past, there have been instances of cocaine being smuggled from South America under the guise of fruit shipments. In 2024, 95 kg of cocaine was seized at a German discount store after being found in a box of bananas. In December 2023, 134 kg of drugs were found in a shipment of bananas in Norway.
The management of Coop, which owns brands such as SuperBrugsen, Kvickly, Brugsen and 365Discount, is refraining from comment at this stage, citing the ongoing investigation. The National Criminal Police has confirmed that Europol, the European Union’s police service, has been called in to investigate the case. Experts note that the scheme of concealing cocaine in banana shipments is not an isolated case, but a long-established method used by criminal groups.
The ongoing investigation in Denmark continues a series of European cases involving drug smuggling in fruit containers from Latin American countries.
The investigation is ongoing, and the amount of drugs found, as well as the possible links between the detained employee and the scheme itself, have not yet been disclosed. The authorities emphasise that further information will be provided as the investigation progresses.
