Italians Seized Weapons and Drones Smuggled in Containers Going to Libya

Two military drones were disguised as wind turbine parts in containers seized from an MSC vessel (Guardia di Finanza photos)

Published Aug 12, 2024 11:49 AM by The Maritime Executive

 

 

Italian police and customs authorities confirmed they seized a cache of weapons and two drones designed for military use from containers being transported through Italy on an MSC vessel. The incident began in mid-June with the authorities stopping containers for investigation, but the details are just now surfacing in the media in Italy and Europe.

The initial reports in June said the forces of Guardia di Finanza and the Customs Office had found weapons hidden in a container that was bound for Libya. At the time, the Italian media said the materials were going to Benghazi and likely destined for the forces of Libyan strongman and military leader Khalifa Haftar.

The containers were identified as being aboard the MSC Arina, one of the carrier’s giant vessels. At 255,000 dwt, the Panama-flagged vessel carries over 23,600 TEU. Reports said officials from the United States had tipped off the Italian authorities asking for the containers to be seized. The boxes were moving through the port of Gioia Tauro.

The initial report only said that millions of dollars of weapons had been discovered. The Italians provided additional details saying that six containers coming from China were identified and intercepted. They performed an initial X-ray scan and later decided the boxes required additional investigation. They noted that anomalies in the customs documentation for the containers raised additional suspicions.

 

Italian authorities said each drone is over 3 tons (Guardia di Finanza)

 

Items contained in the shipment were identified as component parts of wind turbines, but on closer inspection, the Italian authorities determined they were parts of the fuselage and wings of flight-ready drones for military use. The components were concealed among other composite materials that appeared to be elements for wind turbine blades. The report said the authorities believed this was done to conceal the items during routine customs inspections.

The Italian authorities provided pictures of the reassembled drones. They said that the two aircraft each were over three tons. They have a length of nearly 33 feet and a 66-foot wingspan.

The Public Prosecutor’s Office of Palmi arranged for the seizure of the items citing the UN Security Council embargo as well as national and EU regulations to prevent the shipment of weapons to Libya. The incident is being called elements of suspected international arms trafficking and is being investigated.