Fedecafe allows coffee exports from Santa Marta to resume

20th April 2008

The National Federation of Coffee Growers in mid-April revoked the suspension of coffee exports from the Caribbean port of Santa Marta, local reports said.  The suspension, which was announced last month, followed the discovery of 100 kg of cocaine in a container of coffee bound for Antwerp.

Investigations by the authorities into the incident found that container tags had been broken and replaced. The port authority has tightened security measures around the port as a result, and it has taken steps to safeguard the coffee in transit as well, Fedecafe general manager Gabriel Silva was quoted as saying.