Workers at a Coca-Cola factory in southern France opened a shipment of orange juice, but found a huge shipment of cocaine instead.
The Coca-Cola factory in the town of Signes, near the Mediterranean coast, produces concentrates for various drinks. A spokesperson for Coca-Cola France says employees immediately notified police and judicial authorities have opened an investigation.
Sacks containing 370kg of cocaine were hidden in a shipping container holding orange juice from Costa Rica, the spokesperson said. The Marseille prosecutor’s office said on Wednesday it opened an investigation into trafficking and importing illegal drugs.
Coca leaves – used in the production of cocaine – were reportedly used in the original Coca-Cola drink in the 19th century, although the company says cocaine has never been an “added ingredient”.
