The cargo, coming from Iraq, had passed through the Turkish port of Mersin Opium inside plastic-coated packages

Thirty kilograms of opium paste were seized by officials from the Customs and Monopolies Agency and members of the Provincial Command of the Guardia di Finanza (GDF )in the port of Trieste. Concealed inside plastic-coated packages, which were in turn encased in firebricks and specially constructed resin objects, the drug was traveling on a Turkish truck coming from the port of Mersin, loaded with a shipment arriving from Iraq.

During the daily risk assessments

The truck, already identified during the daily risk assessments, was subjected to a check of the entire load, which led to the discovery of boxes containing bricks and ceramic objects that, once assembled, would have reproduced a decorative brazier.The unusual contents of the shipment led officials to  more inspect and find “several blocks of opium.” Continuing their search, they found numerous resin objects concealing the same narcotic substance in six other boxes.

An Iraqi international shipping company

The shipment, the statement explains, was entrusted to an Iraqi international shipping company and, for customs clearance, to a logistics company in the Netherlands.

The final recipients, disguised as fictitious individuals, were likely residents of Germany and Great Britain. Investigations are underway in Italy and other European countries to identify the real individuals involved in the operation.

Efforts of the Guardia di Finanza

The Guardia di Finanza continues its ongoing commitment to protecting the safety and health of citizens, with targeted actions to prevent and combat illicit trafficking, particularly drug trafficking.
The investigative activity—as stated in a press release—is part of the broader effort undertaken by the Provincial Command of the Guardia di Finanza in Trieste to combat drug trafficking and dealing and to protect, in particular, the most vulnerable members of the population.

The European Union’s seaports

It is noteworthy that the European Union’s seaports remain a prime target for drug trafficking networks, serving as key entry points for illicit drugs into the region. As a result, closer cooperation and improved data sharing between ports is crucial to effectively address the problem drug_report_2005

Related : Italian ports in fourth place for drug seizures in EU ports

Source  : Shipping Italy +Others

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