Italy smashes drug ring, grabs 3 tonnes of cocaine

ROME, Nov 7 (Reuters) Italian police said today they had smashed a major international drug ring, arresting 60 people in a joint operation with Spain and Argentina that involved the seizure of more than three tonnes of cocaine.

The massive operation over the past year also saw the seizure of 110,000 tonnes of ecstasy tablets, 6 million euros (7.66 million dollars) in cash, as well as 10 million euros worth of cars and other assets of suspected traffickers.

The police said the South American cocaine was largely shipped to Africa, stockpiled there and then shipped again to Spain. The drugs were then hidden in shipments of vegetable carbon and driven to Italy.

A police statement said that the drugs were largely destined for well-heeled Italian consumers in the finance and fashion industries.

Some of the suspects have ties to southern Italy's 'Ndrangheta organised crime organisation, which authorities say dominates the country's illegal drug trade.

REUTERS DH BST0234