Finance police from the Provincial Command of Reggio Calabria and officials from the Customs and Monopolies Agency executed this latest strike against drug trafficking by seizing 790 kilograms of cocaine at the port of Gioia Tauro. The operation targeted two suspicious containers officially transporting pineapple juice and sesame sacks. However, a hidden shipment of narcotics was uncovered inside. This successful seizure resulted from an in-depth operational analysis conducted by the Guardia di Finanza's Gioia Tauro Group and Customs officials, who consistently monitor shipments passing through the port area.
Thanks to meticulous customs inspections, carried out with the assistance of specialized canine units, authorities were able to identify and intercept the drug load before it could reach its intended recipients. According to estimates, the seized cocaine could have yielded criminal organizations around €120 million if it had entered the market. Over the course of 2024, the Port of Gioia Tauro has already witnessed the seizure of approximately 3.8 tons of cocaine, underscoring its role as a strategic hub for illicit trafficking.
