Press Release
On 6 May 2016, Brazilian Customs (Receita Federal Do Brasil) made a seizure of 811 kg of cocaine concealed inside a large block of granite stone.
The seizure was made at Brazil’s Navegantes Seaport (in Itajaí, Santa Catarina) from an export consignment comprising eight 20-feet containers bound for Barcelona, Spain. The consignment was declared to contain eight rough granite blocks of "Brazilian Marrom Guaíba" colour, a common type of stone from Brazil and a frequently used building material. The total weight was over 141 metric tons. Brazilian Customs officers examined all eight granite blocks and detector dogs gave a positive indication for drugs in one of them. Officers then broke up the stone block and retrieved 811 kg of cocaine.
The granite block in question had been hollowed out, creating a large concealment compartment, and resealed with concrete composed of a mix of cement and powder of the same type of granite stone.