Italian police have arrested a 47-year-old Maltese national caught in the act of drug trafficking after over four kilograms of cocaine were discovered hidden inside his van.
The man was stopped by the Carabinieri shortly after disembarking from a ferry arriving from Villa San Giovanni. During a routine road check, officers noticed the driver’s nervous behavior, prompting them to carry out more detailed inspections at the local police station.
Upon conducting a thorough search of the vehicle, authorities uncovered a sophisticated hidden compartment in the van’s cargo area. Inside, they found four blocks of cocaine and several other packets containing smaller amounts of cocaine and crack. In addition to the drugs, officers also seized €11,200 in cash and equipment used for packaging narcotics.
The suspect was taken into custody and transferred to the Gazzi correctional facility in Messina. The seized substances have been sent to the Carabinieri’s forensic unit (RIS) for laboratory analysis.
The investigation is ongoing, and authorities have not ruled out the possibility of broader connections to international drug trafficking routes.
Photos: Carabinieri Messina
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