Had it not been for an anonymous tip, it's likely the bad guys in this latest real-life drama would have gotten away. The 28 kilograms (61.6 pounds) of cocaine had been carefully tucked inside the frame rails of a 1947 Chevrolet Stylemaster sedan. "Drug dogs couldn't detect anything" when passing by the vehicle, said Claude Catto, head of the interregional judicial police in Lyon, according to local news reports. Loaded into a large shipping container, the car and its secret cargo had already passed undetected through ports in Chile, Spain, Fos-sur-Mer, France, and finally Lyon. Customs documents revealed that the container and the car originated from Bolivia. Only a tip finally alerted police and customs officials that all might not be as it seemed with the old Chevy.Even with the knowledge that drugs could be hidden in the car, Mr. Catto told reporters that it still required eight hours for police to strip the car and locate the cocaine. The Chevrolet had to be completely taken apart, every single nut, bolt and body panel were removed.
According to police estimates, the cocaine is 90 percent pure and has a street value estimated at 2 million euros, or roughly $2.86 million. As for the '47 Chevrolet two-door sedan, a decent running example (much less a disassembled former drug mule) would only cost between $4,000 to $8,000 dollars.The bust marks a surprising end to a lengthy investigation by French police into drug trafficking in Lyon, and throughout the south of France. Seven people have reportedly been arrested in connection with the case.