Three shootings, a cocaine bust and omerta in Gozo

A growing dispute between two Gozitan contractors led to a third shooting incident on 15 December, MaltaToday has learnt, in a case characterised by omerta. 

The latest incident happened at night outside the Rabat house of a leading contractor, who was targeted while in his vehicle. No one was injured and the victim did not file a police report in an attempt to avoid scrutiny by law enforcement agencies. 

The same person had found a bullet hole in his car last year, sources in Gozo told MaltaToday. That incident was kept hush and not reported to the police as well. 

Meanwhile, on 15 August 2025, an unknown person is understood to have shot at a fork lifter while being driven on a public street in Rabat, Gozo. This incident was reported to the police but sources close to the investigation told MaltaToday progress has been hampered by witnesses, who claim to have seen or heard nothing. 

The fork lifter that was shot at on a street in Rabat, Gozo last August (Photo: Newsbook)

Meanwhile, a police spokesperson confirmed with MaltaToday the police received no reports of the alleged December shooting incident. As for the August shooting, a spokesperson said “investigations and a magisterial inquiry are still ongoing”. 

The two contractors had been business partners, along with other prominent Gozitan businesspersons, in companies involved in concrete production and quarrying. However, according to sources in Gozo, the two fell out around a year ago. MaltaToday is not privy to the cause of the dispute but understands it is of a financial nature. 

However, in an even more sinister twist to the plot, the same sources pointed towards the arrest of a Croatian national in October, who was subsequently charged with drug trafficking, as a possible trigger for the latest escalation. 

The drugs packaged under the labels Nando and Ferrari that were found by police in Nenad Kovacic’s car and residence during searches. Police received an anonymous tip-off about the vehicle and stopped it as it disembarked from the Gozo ferry in Mġarr. (Photos: Malta Police Force)

Nenad Kovacic, a 45-year-old Xagħra resident, was arrested on 14 October after an anonymous tip-off informed the police of a suspicious Toyota Rav 4 that was about to disembark the Gozo ferry at the port of Mġarr. 

Police found 18 blocks of cocaine, weighing around 18kg, concealed inside a sports bag in the boot. A subsequent search of the man’s residence in Xagħra, a rented house, yielded 52 additional blocks of cocaine that were found inside shopping bags. 

On 16 October, Kovacic was charged at the Gozo law court with trafficking 76kg of cocaine which had a street value of around €9 million. He pleaded not guilty and the compilation of evidence against him is ongoing. 

Testifying in court on 21 October, a police inspector said Kovacic had told investigators that he had made the trip from Malta to Gozo three times and was expecting €3,000 as payment. 

MaltaToday is not privy as to who promised Kovacic payment for handling the drugs and making the channel crossing. Neither does this newspaper know who the illicit merchandise belongs to and how this incident is linked to either of the feuding contractors. 

However, according to sources privy to the situation, the accused used to work for one of the business partners. 

When he was first arraigned at the Gozo law court, Kovacic was seen wearing a police bullet proof jacket and escorted by heavily-armed police officers. He is currently being held in prison after his bail application was denied.