Customs find €13 million worth of cannabis concealed in industrial ovens

Customs officials found €13 million worth of Cannabis resin concealed within industrial ovens in a container at the Malta Freeport Terminal.

After carrying out a risk assessment, officials decided that the container, originating from Morocco and bound for Libya, should be scanned and thoroughly examined.

The six induction ovens showed significant inconsistencies in the first scan that was carried out, and further investigations showed that irregular material was concealed in the ovens.

The drugs were found after two days of help from the Customs canine teams, a team from the Police narcotics squad, and members from the Civil Protection Department.

Once unsealed, 4,300kgs of Cannabis resin were uncovered, and embedded in the inner parts of the oven which was purposely built to distract and mislead the authorities.

This was not the only recent drug find: last week Customs intercepted 50kgs of cocaine from a container that arrived from Ecuador on the way to Slovenia.

Duty magistrates were informed of the two cases and inquiries were made.