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Condoms via Shutterstock
SUSPECT PACKAGE

Box of liquid cocaine-filled condoms sent to the Vatican

The package – sent from South America – was intercepted in Germany at an airport.

GERMAN CUSTOMS OFFICIALS have intercepted a package addressed to the Vatican containing 14 condoms filled with cocaine.

The Bild am Sonntag reports that a box packed with 340 grammes of cocaine valued at 40,000 euros ($55,200) were seized at the international airport in the eastern city of Leipzig in January.

South America

The narcotics, posted from an unnamed South American country, were in liquid form and had been poured into the condoms and placed in the package addressed to the main postal centre at the Vatican.

The newspaper, citing a German customs report, said authorities handed the package with the drugs to a police officer at the Vatican with the aim of laying a trap for a culprit who might try to claim it.

But Bild said the parcel had remained there since January.

German investigators believe the intended recipient, who remains unknown, was likely tipped off that the package had been intercepted, the newspaper said.

Interpol

The Vatican office of Interpol is now working on the investigation with German police, according to the report.

German customs authorities could not immediately be reached for comment.

- © AFP, 2012

Read: “Stop doing evil”: Pope Francis takes on the mafia>

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