100kg of cocaine intercepted in international operation involving Malta

Cooperation between several EU Member State customs departments, including Malta’s, were successful in interception a 100kilogram consignment of cocaine at Port Rijeka, Croatia.

The joint exercise was carried out by French, Spanish, Maltese and Croatian customs departments over several weeks.

The seizure is thought to have broken up an “organised crime ring”, the Maltese customs department said in a press release yesterday.

Over several weeks, a container filled with metal scrap making its way to Europe from South America had been under surveillance by the authorities. Once it arrived at Port Algeciras, Spain, a decision was taken to continue surveillance of the container. It stopped briefly in Malta, where authorities scanned the goods thanks to recently acquired equipment, and uncovered “suspicious” contents.

Following consultation between all relevant parties, it was decided that Maltese customs would covertly send out the image scans to Rijeka, and released the container under strict surveillance in order for it to safely make its way to Croatian authorities. This was done to ensure that authorities would also catch the receiver of the illicit goods.

On 6 March, the container was released to the recipient, where it was continually followed, until Zagreb police intervened and arrested nine people: six Croatians, a Dutchman, a Spaniard, a Colombian and a person from Bosnia Herzegovina.

Slovak, German and Dutch police have joined the investigations which have taken a wider scope.