Italian police seize 80 kg of drugs and arrest 20 in anti‑mafia raids

On 8 June 2026 police in Catania and its province carried out a large anti‑mafia operation. Twenty suspects were placed in custody and twelve others were ordered to appear for questioning. They are accused of mafia‑type association, armed drug trafficking, possession of war‑type weapons and attempted homicide. The raid seized marijuana, cocaine and several firearms, including Kalashnikov‑type rifles.

In Palermo, the Guardia di Finanza executed six precautionary measures against alleged members of a drug‑trafficking network that operates across Sicily, Calabria, Campania and Lazio. Intercepted communications and surveillance led to the arrest of nine people and the seizure of about 80 kg of cocaine, hashish and related cash.

In Abruzzo, units of the financial police in Giulianova intercepted two shipments of the new psycho‑active cathinone MDPHP, marking the first documented cases in the region; two unrelated persons were charged.

Other ongoing actions include the arrest of a 37‑year‑old in Taranto with cocaine, hashish and marijuana, and further regional drug seizures.