Police probe Italy, Dutch crime links to Caruana Galizia murder suspects

Investigators in the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia have privately named Italy and the Netherlands as two EU member states where cooperation was required in a bid to explore organised crime links to Malta.

The Malta police Saturday stated that a letter by Europol director Rob Wainwright to MEP Ana Gomes pointing out “room for improvement” in the murder investigation, did not refer to Malta but to “cooperation with other countries”.

MaltaToday has established that the reference is to an investigation of organised crime links between the suspects in the Caruana Galizia assassination, in Italy and the Netherlands.

Wainwright’s letter to Gomes described the investigation as “highly complex” and that “there is some room for improvement in this cooperation and we are actively seeking to address this.”

The Malta police said that after seeking clarification on the letter, it had resulted that the reference was to other countries and not to Malta specifically.

Wainwright’s comments were left open to interpretation after he said: “New concerns have arisen which are now the subject of further, high-priority investigation by Europol.”

The contents of the letter, sent to Ana Gomes, were divulged by The Daphne Project on Friday evening. MaltaToday had independently seen the letter.

Europol officers are involved in the  murder investigation and have been providing continuous support to Malta in the Caruana Galizia case since 26 October. Maltese police have also been accompanied by Europol officials during searches carried out at the houses of the accused.