Police divers have discovered more than $500,000 worth of hashish hidden in a cave on the picturesque Italian island of Ponza.
Authorities on the island, a popular holiday destination for the rich and famous, said they had seized 330 drug blocks weighing a total of 40 kilograms (88 pounds) from a cave that can only be accessed by sea.
Italian police divers seize cannabis hidden in sea cave
Police in Ponza, widely known for its spectacular cliffs, told CNN on Wednesday that they were monitoring the entrance to a cave in the Chiaia di Luna area. They believe the drugs, with an estimated street value of more than $500,000, were destined for the summer tourist season, which starts with this weekend’s three-day weekend.
Video released by authorities shows police divers had to access the small cave from a boat.
The 4th Naval Forces Detachment of Naval Operations Gaeta cooperated with the Guardia di Finanza Financial Police Ponza branch, which said in a statement on Tuesday that the seizure was carried out by cave divers who entered the tunnel to reach the cave.
“Investigative operations carried out through intelligence services, territorial surveillance and suspicious movement surveillance have identified a large quantity of drugs intended to fuel the summer illegal market,” they said.
“This is an important achievement that demonstrates the professionalism and training of the personnel employed, who are able to carry out their work in particularly complex and difficult-to-access environments.”
Police believe the drugs were brought in by dinghy from Anzio on the mainland.
Ponza’s mayor, Francesco Ambrosino, told local media that authorities were closely monitoring drug trafficking on the island, which is just three square miles in area.
“The season has just begun. We are expecting 15,000 people to arrive for next weekend’s festival of St. Peter and St. Paul. There are 3,000 residents,” he told La Repubblica newspaper.
“When you look at these numbers, it’s clear that drug trafficking can be a problem, but this seizure shows that law enforcement is paying close attention. That’s reassuring.”
Ambrosino said the island’s limited law enforcement is appealing to partygoers. There are only five police officers in Ponza, and they are mainly busy directing traffic when people disembark from ferries.
Ponza is the largest island in the Pontine Islands, located off the coast of Rome and Naples, and has long been popular with celebrities such as the late fashion designer Giorgio Armani, Beyoncé and Naomi Campbell.
It has been inhabited since the Neolithic period and was also a place of exile. Italy’s wartime fascist dictator Benito Mussolini was imprisoned here after being overthrown and arrested in July 1943. He was only on the island for a total of 10 days. During his time in detention, he moved from place to place to escape the German army, which was trying to reinstate him as leader.
