Plane with over 1,000 pounds of cocaine intercepted in Venezuela

The Venezuelan security forces intercepted a light jet carrying almost 500 kilograms (1,102 pounds) of cocaine aboard and detained two Brazilian citizens in relation to the incident, Venezuelan Interior Ministry said on Wednesday.

The anti-drug operation was carried out on Tuesday in the state of Lara, located in northwestern Venezuela.

"Representatives of the armed forces intercepted an Embraer SENECA II aircraft with 430 packages of cocaine (a total of 482.520 kilograms). Two crew members from Brazil were detained," the ministry wrote on Twitter.

According to the Venezuelan national anti-drug office, nearly 2.5 tonnes of illegal substances have been seized in Venezuela since the beginning of the year.