Italian police have seized nearly 2 tons of cocaine from the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Sicily. The drugs, which were carefully sealed in waterproof floating packages, have an estimated street value of €400 million. The haul was discovered during a routine surveillance flight on Sunday by Italy's Financial Police, Guardia di Finanza. The packages were connected and included a signaling light device, indicating that they were intended to be retrieved and brought ashore by traffickers. The police dispatched boats from the Sicilian municipality of Catania and provided air cover from multiple units to ensure the safety of the officers involved in the operation. They believe that the floating packages were left by a passing cargo ship. The authorities are continuing to search the area for any more floating packets.
The seizure is one of the largest ever carried out on Italian territory and has likely prevented the drugs from being sold illegally in the country. In February, authorities in New Zealand seized over 3 tons of cocaine floating in the ocean in one of the country's biggest ever drug busts.
The discovery of these drugs highlights the ongoing issue of drug trafficking across the world's oceans. The use of floating packages to transport drugs is a common tactic, and authorities must remain vigilant in their efforts to combat these criminal activities. The seizure of these drugs will undoubtedly have disrupted the activities of those involved in the illegal drug trade, but further action is needed to tackle this global issue.