Brazil seizes suspected massive cocaine haul hidden in timber cargo

Brazil seized what appeared to be a major ​cocaine shipment concealed in timber cargo, ‌which authorities said was likely the country’s biggest-ever haul of smuggled cocaine, ​following a joint operation with ​U.S. and Bolivian officials.

Brazil’s Federal Revenue ⁠Service said police were conducting a ​forensic examination of the cargo after ​finding evidence that smugglers were hiding narcotics within the wood itself.

Acting on shared intelligence, ​authorities stepped up border inspections ​on June 19 and detained eight trucks ‌carrying ⁠about 260 metric tons of timber on Sunday, the revenue service said in a statement.

The timber and wood products sector holds a historic place in Brazil’s economy. Datamar’s DataLiner shows Brazil exported 123,673 TEUs of wood and wood products in January-April 2026, down 6.3% from a year earlier.

The ports handling most of Brazil’s wood exports are concentrated along the country’s southern and southeastern coast. Paranaguá led the January-April 2026 ranking with 38,696 TEUs, followed by Navegantes with 24,096 TEUs, Itapoá with 23,286 TEUs, Santos with 12,118 TEUs, Itajaí with 9,896 TEUs and Rio Grande with 8,549 TEUs. Together, those ports accounted for the vast majority of Brazil’s containerized wood exports.

Top Wood Export Ports | Jan-Apr 2026 | TEUs

Source: DataLiner (click here to request a demo)

For more information on Brazilian wood exports, readers can access the article published on Datamar’s blog.

Based on previous cases ​involving ​the same ⁠method, illicit substances could account for 10% to 20% ​of the cargo’s weight, ​the ⁠revenue service said. It added that, if confirmed by the Federal Police ⁠analysis, ​the haul could total ​20 to 50 metric tons of cocaine.

Source: Reuters

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