· A total of 120 packets of cocaine, weighing 144 kgs, were elevated, today, with an estimated street value of 15.7 Million Euros;

· So far, this year 750.45 kgs of cocaine, worth 83.9 Million Euros, have been seized, by the Customs Department.

After Sunday’s, 7th April, cocaine haul of 91.2kgs, Tuesday’s, 9th April, seizure of 24 kgs more and Sunday’s, 14th April,  haul of another 91.25 kgs of cocaine, on Saturday the Customs Department continued with its streak of major drug hauls. In fact, Customs Officials have seized 144 kgs more of cocaine from three other reefer containers at the Malta Freeport.
In the early hours of Saturday, the Customs Container Monitoring Unit selected several containers for scanning. Following preliminary scans, taken by the Customs Scanning Team, irregularities in three of the reefer containers were noticed, which, once again, pointed to narcotics hidden in the refrigerant compressor unit. A physical search confirmed the preliminary suspicions.

- The first two containers, which were both transhipping Malta, from South America, en-route to the port of Durres, in Albania, contained 20 packets of cocaine each, weighing 48 kgs, with a street value of 5.4 Million Euros.

 - In the third container the Customs Officials found 80 packets of cocaine, weighing 96 kgs and a street value of 10.8 Million Euros. This container was transhipping Malta, from South America, en-route to the port of Bar, in Montenegro.

This brings the total amount to 120 packets of cocaine, weighing  144 kgs, with a total estimated street value of 15.7 Million Euros.
The twelve-hour operation was the result of a concerted effort between the employees of the Customs Department, the Police and Malta Freeport. The Customs Department would like to thank, also, members of the Armed Forces of Malta for their assistance.

The case was handed over to the Police Anti Drug Squad, who are conducting the investigations. The duty Magistrate is leading the inquiry assisted by a team of experts from the Police Forensics Unit.