Dutch authorities have discovered cocaine worth €8.5m ($9.9m) on a Golden Ocean Group bulker in Rotterdam.
The AD website reported that 115 kg of the drugs were found stashed in an anchor-chain locker on the John Fredriksen-controlled 180,000-dwt Golden Calvus (built 2018) on 15 October.
Customs officers said the capesize was loaded with coal from Colombia and was due to be unloaded in the Dutch port.
Domestic media said drugs are intercepted in the port almost every week.
Earlier in October, customs workers found a consignment of 712 kg of cocaine worth €53m.
Police arrested 12 people on 14 October who may have been looking for drugs in a container at the terminal.
AIS data showed the Golden Calvus remained moored in the Netherlands on Tuesday morning.
Golden Ocean has been contacted for comment.
A growing problem
The use of bulkers to hide drugs is becoming more common, while it has long been a problem for containerships.
TradeWinds reported on 18 October that 33 kg of narcotics were found on a Precious Shipping supramax in Nigeria.
The Thai shipowner denied any links to the discovery on the 56,548-dwt Chayanee Naree (built 2012), which had arrived from Santos in Brazil.
Earlier in October, French authorities found 1.13 kg of cocaine on the Minship-managed 30,800-dwt handysize Trudy (built 2009) at the port of Dunkirk.
Of the 20 crew members, 19 were charged and 15 remained in custody in the week ending 15 October.
Golden Ocean itself is no stranger to drug raids.
In 2019, South Korea's Coast Guard said police found 100.7 kg of cocaine worth about $250m hidden in plastic bags on the 181,000-dwt Golden Savannah (built 2017).
