The Swiss police reported that 500 kg of cocaine was found in a shipment of coffee beans that was delivered to a Nespresso plant in Romont, Switzerland. Workers at the Nespresso plant unexpectedly found the white powder and immediately alerted police.
Nespresso staff were unloading bags of coffee beans which had arrived in five shipping containers from Brazil, when they discovered the cocaine. Personnel at Nespresso, which is owned by the Swiss company Nestlé, said that the shipment was delivered the same day by train.
The seizure was estimated to be worth more than 50 million francs (about $50.6 million).
Police and customs officers set up a blocked off security perimeter around the factory while they underwent their investigation, which continues.
Tests performed on the mysterious white powder confirmed that it was 80% pure cocaine.
“It’s definitely a big seizure for the canton of Fribourg, one can say an extraordinary catch,” said Marc Andrey, head of security for the region.
According to the police, the batches were isolated and the cocaine did not come into contact with any production equipment at the Nespresso plant.
In an emailed statement, Nespresso wrote, “The substance in question did not come into contact with any of our products or production equipment used to make our products.” They emphasized that they can reassure consumers that their single-serve coffee pods, famous around the world, were not compromised and are safe to use.
“It appears that all of the drugs were destined for the European market,” police said.