Fishermen find half a ton of cocaine floating off Algerian coast

ORAN, Algeria / CNN — Algerian authorities have seized half a ton of cocaine that was found floating off the country’s coast, after fishermen in the area raised the alarm.

The fishermen found and reported suspicious bags floating in the water near Oran, a port city in the North African country, on Saturday night, according to a press release from Algeria’s Ministry of Defense.

Coast Guard units dispatched to the scene fished out the bags, which together contained 1,080 pounds of cocaine, according to laboratory analysis conducted by the military police.

The ministry press release described the failed smuggling as “an attempt to introduce a huge quantity of cocaine intended to flood our country with these poisons and drugs.”

The release said the discovery of the drugs happened “in the wake of operations to fight against smuggling and organized crime.”

The release added: “The investigation is still ongoing to determine all the details of this criminal attempt.”

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