In recent days, beaches across the Netherlands have seen a strange and alarming phenomenon: packages of cocaine washing ashore. The discoveries were reported in Cadzand, Renesse, Ouddorp, and Scheveningen, with some of the bundles found by early morning walkers and joggers.
The packages, tightly wrapped in plastic and bearing distinctive cartel-like markings, contained over 600 kilograms of high-purity cocaine. Authorities estimate the street value of the drugs at approximately €180 million, making it one of the largest unintended recoveries of narcotics in recent Dutch history.
Law enforcement suggests the packages may have been discarded from a smuggling vessel due to rough seas or a risk of interception. The prevailing currents in the North Sea are believed to have carried the cargo northward, scattering it along the Dutch coastline.
The Dutch Coast Guard has intensified patrols, and residents have been urged to avoid handling any suspicious items and instead contact the police immediately. An international investigation is underway to trace the origin of the drugs, with connections to major smuggling routes between South America, Spain, and the ports of Rotterdam and Antwerp being explored.
