Drug money seized last year surpassed €1 million

Police seized more than €1 million in cash during drug busts conducted last year, which accounts for a third of cash seized over the past 10 years.

Since 2013, police seized €3.3 million in cash linked to drug arrests, figures tabled in parliament by Home Affairs Minister Byron Camilleri show.

Replying to a question by Labour MP Omar Farrugia, the minister said that police also confiscated Forint 140,500 in 2019, $130 in 2019 and 2022, and £5 in 2019.

The highest amount seized before last year was in 2021 when police confiscated almost €600,000.

In a separate reply, Camilleri said 57 cases of money laundering linked to drug trafficking offences were instituted since 2013. However, 27 of these cases were initiated in the last two years alone.

Police Commissioner Angelo Gafà said earlier on Monday that the police adopted a more aggressive strategy by going after the illicit gains apart from the drug offences.