KURT
SANSONE
ksansone@mediatoday.com.mt
PAGES 4 - 5
Cassola
confirms
party
intentions
Police sergeant
allegedly leaked
information to
third parties
PAGE 2
THREE men charged with drug trafficking
following a cocaine bust at Malta Freeport are
on the lower rungs of a multi-layered criminal
organisation, MaltaToday has learnt.
The men are linked to a cocaine shipment
from Guayaquil in Ecuador to Malta that was
intercepted by law enforcement agents at the
Birżebbuġa port on 12 November.
The 146kg of cocaine discovered inside a
truck and a container has an estimated street
value of €20 million, according to the police.
Sources close to the investigation have told
MaltaToday the three men are part of a crim-
inal organisation that has an intricate web of
operatives kept together by promises of gen-
erous cash payments and fear of retribution
by a "ruthless hidden hand".
PAGES 2 - 3
Cocaine bust exposes
multi-layered ruthless
criminal organisation
With polls indicating that 8%
of the electorate intend to vote
for third parties – currently
split between ADPD and
others – Arnold Cassola,
the former Green Party
chairperson and independent
election candidate, is actively
laying the groundwork for
a new political force to be
announced in the coming
months
YOUR RIGHT TO KNOW WWW.MALTATODAY.COM.MT
SUNDAY 24 NOVEMBER 2024 • ISSUE 1307 • PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY AND SUNDAY
Deregulation
ReLeaf ReLeaf President Andrew President Andrew
Bonello on cannabis Bonello on cannabis
reform and further reform and further
changes to the law changes to the law
INTERVIEW INTERVIEWMT2 MT2
maltatoday
Cultural watchdog
requests 'historical
justification' for
15-metre-high obelisk
PAGE 9
Maltese fans reeling
as San Marino
close to World Cup
qualification
PAGE 19
Mosta square
Football
€1.95
The police intercepted 146kg of cocaine with a street value of €20 million at Malta Freeport, which was
destined for the domestic market. Graphic: Karl Azzopardi/MaltaToday
From Guayaquil to Birżebbuġa:
Cocaine bust starts to unravel
complex criminal web involving
hauliers, a car dealer, port
security and a ruthless hidden
hand