More than 110 kilograms of cocaine were seized by the Guardia di Finanza of Gorizia during a check on an articulated vehicle on the motorway near the Lisert toll barrier, in the municipality of Monfalcone. The operation ended with the arrest of the driver, a Serbian national, who was driving a Croatian-registered heavy goods vehicle heading across the border. The incident took place along the motorway section towards Slovenia. Officers noticed the lorry because of a clear anomaly, a defective headlight, and signalled the driver to stop. Instead of complying, the driver continued driving, taking advantage of heavy traffic from other trucks. This behaviour prompted the officers to follow the vehicle and stop it shortly afterwards.
Once the lorry was halted, the driver’s nervousness further heightened suspicion. A subsequent inspection of the cab led to the discovery of three large bags concealed behind the seats. Inside were 101 blocks of pure cocaine. Sniffer dog units also took part in the operation. The lorry was officially transporting building materials and was registered to a company based in Croatia. According to initial reconstructions, the drugs were destined for Northern European markets. Once diluted and distributed, they could have generated estimated profits of around €20 million.
The driver was arrested on charges of possession, transport and trafficking of narcotic substances, aggravated by the large quantity involved. After the initial formalities, he was transferred to Gorizia prison and placed at the disposal of the judicial authorities. Further investigations are under way to reconstruct the trafficking chain and identify any accomplices along the cross-border route.
