TEN tons of cocaine goes up in smoke marking a welcome victory in the war on drug gangs.
The monster haul, worth nearly £200million, was the largest seized in the Dominican Republic in the Caribbean.
It was found hidden in a consignment of bananas at the country’s main seaport in the capital Santo Domingo and was said to be destined for Belgium.
Ten people were arrested.
The hundreds of packets of drugs were laid out by white-suited officials before being set ablaze.
It comes as a British battleship seized more than £40 million worth of cocaine in the Caribbean Sea in a daring drugs bust in August.
Footage showed the HMS Trent closing in on a speed boat before seizing the drugs 120 nautical miles south of the Dominic Republic.
The Royal Marines were observed retrieving the drugs from the sea before rescuing three smugglers who attempted to dispose of the Class A narcotics by tossing them overboard.
The alleged smugglers were later filmed being escorted onto HMS Trent with their hands held above their heads.
The drug traffickers were handed over to the United States authorities for prosecution.
The Royal Navy said it is the sixth drug bust made by HMS Trent in 2024.
