Containership smuggling weapons to Libya seized in Italy

Italy's customs authorities and the country's Guardia di Finanza (GdF) financial police force have successfully intercepted a containership found to be illegally carrying and transporting weapons and military-grade unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) bound for Libya.

The Panamanian-flagged, 23,600TEU MSC Arina was detained in mid-June while the illicit cargo was being loaded at the Port of Gioia Tauro. However, additional details of the operation, particularly information on the contents of the seized containers, were not disclosed to Italian and European media until recently.

Italian officials conducted the seizure with the aid of intelligence supplied by the United States. Further investigation was also prompted by the fact that some of the onboard containers had corresponding customs documentation with apparent anomalies, thus raising the suspicion of the GdF and customs officials.

A small number of containers were discovered to be housing weapons as well as parts of the wings and fuselage of disassembled UAVs whereas the documentation stated the contents were offshore wind turbine components.

Two disassembled UAVs were discovered among the cargo in addition to the identified weapons. The UAVs were later reassembled and were found to weigh over three tonnes each.

The UAVs' components were concealed among composite materials that officials believe are parts of wind turbine blades.

The seizure was ordered by the Public Prosecutor’s Office of Palmi in compliance with a UN Security Council embargo and EU regulations intended to stem the flow of illegal weapons to Libya.