Peruvian police seized on Tuesday more than six tons of pure cocaine in a seemingly abandoned house near the town of Huanchaco, in the coastal city of Trujillo, northern Peru.
The narcotics were found hidden in a shipment of coal intended to be conveyed to Spain and Belgium.
As part of the smuggling operation, the police arrested and six Peruvians two Mexicans - the latter believed to be linked to a Mexican drug cartel.
The seizure took place after a six-week surveillance joint operation with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
The National Anti-Drug Agency (Dirandro) chief Vicente Romero said, "it is the biggest cocaine seizure in the history of Dirandro."
Likewise, he highlighted the continuous and joint work being carried out with DEA's support. "DEA is our main partner in the fight against drug trafficking. It is a hard, continuous and silent work that is showing good results," Romero explained.
According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the size of Peru's coca plantations fell by 17.5% between 2012 and 2013, bringing them down to 49,800 hectares.
The Ollanta Humala administration plans to eradicate an estimated 30,000 hectares of illegally grown coca leaf this year.
(END) VVS/DLG/RMB