According to the authorities, the cargo of bananas contained nearly 18 million dollars worth of cocaine

Authorities discovered nearly $ 18 million worth of cocaine under banana packages Friday in Texas.

(Texas Department of Criminal Justice)

Texas criminal justice authorities got more than they expected Friday when a local port donated 45 unclaimed boxes of bananas.

Under the fruits, the cartons contained nearly 18 million dollars worth of cocaine, officials said.

Two banana pallets were donated to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ), according to a statement from the department.

The Ports of America in Freeport, 100 kilometers south of Houston, offered the proceeds to the authorities because no one claimed them, reported KHOU-TV of Houston.

The bananas were given due to their maturity, said the TDCJ, but two sergeants discovered "something wrong" with the boxes.

When they opened one of the Dole boxes labeled "certified organic bananas", they found packages containing a white powdery substance under the fruits, officials said. The substance has been tested positive for cocaine.

In total, authorities have discovered 540 packages of cocaine worth nearly $ 18 million, according to the TDCJ.

The staff of the Drug Enforcement Administration and US Customs and Border Protection are investigating.