local news

Maltese company's ship still held on suspicion of cocaine smuggling

By David Lindsay

Spanish authorities are refusing to return a ship belonging to a company registered in Malta, as they suspect that the ship is owned by a drug trafficking organisation.

The Privilege, allegedly owned by Malta-based Privilege Maritime, is suspected of having been used in a failed attempt to smuggle some five tons of cocaine to Italy in August last year.

A Spanish high court judge, Spain's 'super-judge' Baltasar Garzon, last week linked the Privilege with drug running and money laundering operations.

Garzon is better known for his attempts to try Latin American dictators and their subordinates for torture and other crimes.

Privilege Maritime was registered as a company in Malta less than a year prior to the seizure of the ship, in September 1999, and is owned by two individuals of undisclosed nationality. However, the two company directors and shareholders, Nikolla Papa and Arben Balla, have listed their addresses in Tirana, Albania.

The 120-meter freighter, flying the flag of the African republic of Sao Tome and Principe, was seized a year ago on suspicion that it was carrying a particularly large consignment of cocaine.

However, despite a two-week search in the port of Las Palmas, Gran Canaria, no trace of drugs was discovered.

The Privilege, which was en route to Italy from Venezuela carrying a shipment of steel coils, was boarded and seized by Spanish authorities on the high seas some 200 nautical miles southwest of the Canary Islands. Despite the fact that no drugs were found on board, a Spanish government spokesperson raised speculation that the drugs could have very well been dumped overboard when the crew was alerted to the authorities' approach.