The US Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) has shipped and destroyed over €1 billion worth of illegal drugs seized by Malta in 2017 and destined for use as a fund-raiser for the Isis terrorist group.

Malta Customs and the police worked with the DEA and the US Embassy in Malta to destroy the 215 metric tons of illegally smuggled tramadol pills that had been found in 13 containers at Malta Freeport.

The drug is a synthetic opioid trafficked by terrorist groups to generate revenue.

The Sanctions Monitoring Board within the Foreign Ministry had ordered the seizure of the pills in line with the United Nations Security Council Resolutions calling on the international community to prevent and suppress the financing of terrorist groups.

"The ministry remains committed to cooperating with its international partners to prevent transnational crime and to eliminate sources of terrorist financing," the ministry said.

Foreign Minister Carmelo Abela commended the close cooperation between Malta Customs and the United States to seize and destroy shipments being used by
criminal networks to generate funding for terrorist groups.

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