A record amount of cocaine weighing some 2.5 tons has been seized by police in the east of Bolivia, the chief of country's police anti-drug unit told local radio.

"In one of Santa Cruz districts we have confiscated 2.5 tons of cocaine, which according to packaging was supplied from Peru. Its estimated cost on the U.S. black market totals over $5 million," Oscar Nina told Erbol radio station.

He said this is a record amount of cocaine seized over the past 15 years. In 1995 Bolivia's police seized four tons of cocaine that was transported from Peru to Mexico via Bolivia.

Last month the country's law enforcers destroyed a drug factory capable of producing 200 kg (440 lbs) of cocaine weekly. In all, police seized seven tons of cocaine and 423 tons of marijuana since the beginning of this year.

According to the United Nations, Bolivia is the third largest cocaine producer in the world following Colombia and Peru.

BUENOS AIRES, March 20 (RIA Novosti)