Wara jumejn u żewġ iljieli ta’ proċess rigoruz mill-Anti-Drug Squad u s-Sezzjoni tal-Forensika, fi ħdan il-Korp tal-Pulizija, flimkien mal-uffiċjali tad-Dwana, kmieni dalgħodu ntemmet l-operazzjoni fuq l-erba’ containers miżmuma fil-Freeport, b’konnessjoni mal-qabda ta’ droga.
Id-Dipartiment tad-Dwana issa huwa f’pożizzjoni li jikkonferma li l-qabda ta’ droga kienet tammonta għal 10,729.40 kilogramm ta’ raża tal-kannabis li, fis-suq, iġġib prezz ta’ madwar €28.5 miljun.
Fil-proċess infetħu l-erba’ containers li kien hemm suspett fuqhom, wara li fuq tnejn minnhom l-apparat tal-iscanning indika ċar inkonsistenza fil-kontenut.
• L-ewwel container li nfetaħ, li kien dikjarat li kien qed iġorr patalotti ta’ deterġenti, mill-bramel li suppost kienu mimlija bid-deterġent inħarġu 28,436 pakkett b’raża tal-kannabis, li komplessivament kienu jiżnu 5,687.20 kilogramm.
• Mit-tieni container li nfetaħ, li wkoll kien dikjarat li kien qed iġorr patalotti ta’ deterġenti, mill-bramel inħarġu 25,211 pakkett b’raża tal-kannabis, li komplessivament kienu jiżnu 5,042.20 kilogramm.
Dawn iż-żewġ containers kienu dawk li l-immaġni tal-iscanner indikat fihom possibilta’ kbira ta’ droga, biex, b’hekk, minn eżami fiżiku ġie kkonfermat is-suspett li indika l-iscanner.
• It-tielet container, li l-iscanner ma wera l-ebda inkonsistenza fih, u li kien ukoll dikjarat li kien qed iġorr patalotti ta’ deterġenti, infetaħ ukoll u ġie eżaminat barmil, barmil. Fih ma rriżulta l-ebda sejba ta’ droga.
• Ir-raba’ container, li wkoll l-iscanner ma wera l-ebda inkonsistenza fih, u li kien dikjarat li kien qed iġorr lampi tal-welding (blow torches), infetaħ ukoll, pero ma rriżulta l-ebda sejba ta’ droga.
• B’hekk, il-qabda totali kienet ta’ 10,729.40 kilogramm ta’ raża tal-kannabis, bi prezz fis-suq ta’ madwar €28.5 miljun.
Id-Dipartiment tad-Dwana, pubblikament, juri s-sens ta’ apprezzament tiegħu, u jirringrazzja:
- lill-Pulizija tal-Anti-Drug Squad u lit-tim Forensiku tal-Korp tal-Pulizija tal-assistenza kbira li taw lid-Dwana u talli mexxew b’mod abbli ħafna l-operazzjoni ta’ analiżi;
- lid-Dipartiment tas-Security tal-Freeport illi iffaċilitaw l-andament tax-xogħol biex dan seta’ jsir taħt sigurta’ stretta; u
- lill-Uffiċjali kollha tad-Dwana involuti f’din l-akbar ħidma qatt imwettqa fl-istorja ta’ Malta.
Fl-aħħarnett, id-Dipartiment tad-Dwana, pubblikament, juri s-sens ta’ apprezzament tiegħu u jirringrazzja wkoll lill-Kummissjoni Ewropeja, inkuż l-OLAF, fi ħdan il-Kummissjoni, li permezz tal-programmi tagħha ġew kofinanzjati x-xiri taz-ZBV Backscatter scanner, in-Nuctech scanner u l-apparat sofistikat analitiku, imħaddem mill-Customs Intelligence Service, u t-twaqqif tat-Taqsima l-ġdida tal-Klieb, fi ħdan it-Taqsima tal-Infurzar. Dawn l-għodod qegħdin tabilħaqq ikunu ta’ siwi kbir fil-miri ġodda li qed jimmira għalihom id-Dipartiment tad-Dwana f’Malta.
Media Release: Malta Customs releases final figures pertaining to the drug bust
After 48 hours of a rigorous process conducted by the Anti-Drug Squad and the Forensic Unit , within the Police Force, in conjunction with the Malta Customs officials, the operation ended early this morning on the four containers which have been retained in the Freeport, in connection with the latest drug seizure,
The Department of Customs is now in a position to confirm that the seized narcotics totalled 10,729.40 kilogramms of resin of cannabis, at a market price in the region of €28.5 million.
During the operation, Malta Customs opened four containers which were under suspicion, following clear positive indications by the scanning equipment on two of the containers of inconsistency in the makeup within the containers.
• In the first searched container, which was declared as containing buckets full of detergent liquid, 28,436 packets of cannabis resin were taken out of the container, weighing in total 5,687.20 kilogrammes.
• In the second searched container, which was likewise declared as containing pales of detergent liquid, 25,211 pales full of detergent liquid were taken out of the container, weighting in total 5,042.20 kilogrammes.
These two containers, in fact, provided clear images in the scanner that the material contained within most probably consisted in drug content, leading to a physical examination that actually confirmed the suspicion indicated by the scanner.
• The third container, which did not provide to the scanner any inconsistency in what was inside, and which also was declared as carrying detergent pales, was also searched and had its contents examined individually. No drug content was in fact traced.
• The fourth container, which also did not provide to the scanner any inconsistency in its contents, and which, according to its declaration, was carrying blow torches, was also opened, again, with the negative result of any drug trace.
• Thus, in total, the seizure consisted of 10,729.40 kilogrammes of resin of cannabis at a total market cost in the region of €28.5 million.
The Department of Customs wishes to take the occasion of publicly conveying its appreciation and thank:
- The Anti-Drug Squad and Forensic Unit, within the Police Force, for their extensive assistance provided to Customs Department and for their professional aptitude in conducting the analysis operation;
- The Security Department of Malta Freeport who facilitated the smooth operation process that needed to be conducted under strict security; and
- All Malta Customs officials involved in this sensitive operation that entailed the biggest drug find ever recorded in Malta’ history.
Finally, Malta Customs also wants to publicly convey its appreciation and takes the occasion to thank the European Commission, including OLAf, within the Commission, for co-financing, through various programmes, the purchase of the ZBV Backscatter scanner, the Nuctech scanner and the sophisticated analytical electronic equipment, operated by the Customs Intelligence Service, and the setting up of the new Canine Unit, within the Enforcement Directorate. These tools are indeed serving their purpose toward the attainment of the new targets which the Department of Customs in Malta is adament to reach.
