BERLIN

German authorities said on Friday they seized nearly 35 tons of cocaine, in what is believed to be the biggest-ever bust of its kind.

The drugs were first discovered in the port of Hamburg last year, but authorities have not disclosed any information for months due to the ongoing investigation, German news agency DPA reported, citing investigators.

The estimated street value of the 35 tons of cocaine was several billion euros, according to the Ministry of Justice of the North Rhine-Westphalia.

During subsequent police raids, at least seven suspects were arrested in several federal states, including Hamburg, Berlin, Bavaria and Lower Saxony.

The three largest ports in Europe - Rotterdam, Antwerp and Hamburg - are often used by cartels to smuggle drugs from South America. In 2021, custom officials in Hamburg had seized 16 tons of cocaine, with a street value of nearly € 3.5 billion ($3.7 billion). It was the largest single seizure of cocaine to date in Germany.