
Authorities have made arrests following the daring theft of 200kg of cannabis resin from a secured container within the Armed Forces of Malta (AFM) facility at Safi barracks.
Home Affairs Minister Byron Camilleri confirmed that several individuals are in police custody and that a portion of the stolen drugs has been recovered.
Speaking to journalists after a cabinet meeting on Tuesday, he did not specify the exact number of arrests. However, Times of Malta sources indicated that around six suspects have been detained.
The stolen cannabis resin had been stored in a sealed container at Safi barracks under the custody of the Court Services Agency. The drugs were part of a larger shipment seized at the Malta Freeport in June.
The theft occurred overnight between Saturday and Sunday and was only discovered during a routine patrol. Times of Malta sources revealed that the perpetrators gained access by cutting through a fence.
Lawyer Jason Azzopardi alleged that the culprits loaded the drugs into sacks and escaped in a Skoda via a back lane, though police have not confirmed these claims.
The revelation of the heist on Sunday sent shockwaves through the government and AFM, prompting significant political fallout. AFM Commander Clinton O’Neill was suspended, and Minister Camilleri offered his resignation, though Prime Minister Robert Abela rejected it.
The theft has led to two separate inquiries—one by Magistrate Antoine Agius Bonnici and another by retired judge Geoffrey Valenzia, who will investigate potential security lapses that enabled the heist.
#MaltaDaily