Italian Officials Seize Cocaine Hidden in Chilean Mussels
On Thursday, Italian officials reported that over 2,000 pounds of cocaine had been seized at the port of Gioia Tauro.
The 37 bags, split into 800 parcels, of pure cocaine were found in a container of frozen mussels and seafood from Chile. If the load was to be cut and sold on the street, the drug’s would have been worth $219 million.
The Calabrian port, where police used special scanners to identify the contraband, has been noted as a “hot spot” for smuggling into the country for years. Calabria is the home of the ‘Ndrangheta, one of the most powerful Italian mafia families, who are known for their involvement in money laundering, extortion, and drug trafficking.
The ‘Ndrangheta family has also infiltrated legitimate public companies such as transportation, healthcare, and many others.
source: barrons.com, splash247.com
