BELOW THE LINE: Cops Find Tonne Of Cocaine Strapped To Bottom Of Chinese Freighter In Italian Port

Police have seized over a tonne of cocaine strapped to the bottom of a freighter in an Italian port.

The massive drug bust took place under the waterline at the Port of Savona in Liguria, in north-western Italy, after the Chinese-registered freighter arrived from South America.

The footage shows divers going under the ship and retrieving large bales containing the drugs, which appear to have been attached under the hull of the vessel.

Guardia di Finanza agents can then be seen transporting the bales and opening one of them up.

Inside, they found large packages containing the illegal narcotic substance. One officer can be seen weighing some of the drugs, which are then seen stacked up against a wall.

Newsflash obtained a statement from the Italian Guardia di Finanza saying that “over a tonne of cocaine was seized at the Port of Savona”.

Pic shows: Officer holds a cocaine package in undated footage. Guardia di Finanza seized over a ton of cocaine from a Chinese multipurpose cargo ship, at the port of Savona, in Italy. (GuardiaDiFinanza/Newsflash)

The Guardia Di Finanza said on Tuesday, 17th January, that the drugs were found on a Chinese cargo ship called the Cosco Shipping Honor that had arrived in Italy from South America.

The ship, reportedly operated by China Cosco, one of the world’s largest shipping companies, has remained moored in the port.

It is currently unclear if any arrests were made. The investigation is understood to be ongoing.