Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1346072
WEDNESDAY • 3 MARCH 2021 CONTACT Adriana Farrugia or Erika Arrigo on 21382741 for sponsorship opportunities THE police were called in by Customs officials after a package arriving from the United Kingdom was found to be containing substances suspected of being illegal drugs. Customs said that in the last weeks since Brexit legis- lation came into force, packages arriving from the UK have had to be subjected to a number of formalities in- cluding added checks and procedures. In the last nine weeks, police and customs have iden- tified 10 packages containing narcotic substances or seeds. In some instances, more than one package was found in the same day. The imported packages amount to around one kilo of drugs. The illicit packages were headed to households in Birkirkara, Qormi, Ħaż-Żebbuġ, Ħamrun, Swieqi, Xlen- di, Iklin, Imsida, and Sliema. Customs said that the package identified in the past days was picked up by a person of Maltese nationality. The person was arrested on the spot, and taken to the Floriana Headquarters for further questioning. A number of busts were carried out by the customs section's K9 unit. Sniffer dogs Żekkin, Stan and Peter were behind the catches. 'Cannabis by mail' rumbled by Brexit: Customs busts British drugs imports KARL AZZOPARDI THE Maltese police have arrested 39-year-old Maxi- miliano Genova over his connections with a drug traf- ficking organisation in Sicily. Police said the arrest was carried out after a European Arrest Warrant was issued for the Sicilian, who Italian media identified as the head of a criminal organisation based in Syracuse. He had been on the run from Italian authorities for months. Investigations by the police's Central Intelligence and Analysis Unit identified the man who was found hiding in Malta. At around 2:00 am on Tuesday, police surrounded a St Paul's Bay apartment where Genova was residing in, before carrying out the arrest. The operation was carried out in collaboration with Italian police, who also arrested 31 people in Syracuse, Sicily. The drug trafficking ring was making profits of €25,000 daily, according to Italian carabinieri. The man is being held at the police headquarters in Floriana, and will be charged in court on Wednesday. Sicilian leader of drug trafficking ring arrested in St Paul's Bay Maximiliano Genova