“Our country has a great track record where the war on drugs is concerned”, stated Speaker of the House of Representatives Anġlu Farrugia while addressing those present at the conference.
Speaker Farrugia said that last May, 1,494 tonnes of cocaine worth at least € 300 million, were intercepted by the Customs Department while in transit between Columbia and Slovenia. He also said that in the preceding month, 800kg of cocaine were intercepted and seized by Customs of Malta at the Freeport. Speaker Farrugia stated that the Customs of Malta had been breaking its cocaine seizure records year after year, with 2019 recording a total of 750kg (in 13 separate seizures), another 612kg in 1 seizure in 2020, 740kg in 1 seizure in 2021, and 800kg and 1,494kg in two separate seizures this year.
Speaker Anġlu Farrugia said that while cutting off the supply both locally and abroad is very important, it is equally important to have the necessary structures in place to deal with physical, mental and social harm done to the victims of this criminal activity addressed, and in this regard, the national entity entrusted by the Government of Malta, is the Foundation for Social Welfare Services (FSWS) to address psycho-social matters. Speaker Farrugia informed those present that 78% of the personnel employed by the FSWS are professionals in the social care sector who work directly with clients and patients.
Speaker Farrugia concluded by thanking the International Society of Addiction Medicine (ISAM) for choosing Malta to – along with the Foundation for Social Welfare Services and the University of Malta – hold such a prestigious conference in our country.
Source: Office of the Prime Minister