Peru's Security Forces Capture Shipment of Cocaine

Peru's National Police captured on Sunday a shipment of 182kg of cocaine in the region of Vraem, inside the Amazon.

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Authorities reported that anti-narcotics agents discovered a ton of chemical inputs drug cartels used to process cocaine. This, after a raid in the town of Encarnación, which also unveiled a hidden laboratory where the drug was processed.

The region known as Vraem, which includes Valle de Los Rios Apurimac, Ene, and Mantaro, is one the largest coca-growing valleys in Perú and the battlefield between the military and armed civilians.

On Monday, the Ministry of Defense reported that four alleged terrorists died following a confrontation with security forces in the Vraem. 

In a joint statement, the Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of Interior explained that the criminals "carried out security activities for drug trafficking to obtain financing and logistical support to expand their support bases in the southern area of ​​Vraem."

Peru is one of the world's largest cocaine producers, alongside Bolivia and Colombia, and the U.S. is its foremost market. The authorities estimate that the cache of drugs had a street value of $10 million.