Costa Concordia Linked to Drug Smuggling

Italian police investigating the Costa Concordia tragedy have reported phone calls and tape recordings that indicate an organized crime syndicate hid cocaine on board during the vessel’s last voyage.

According to The Independent, the recordings link a Calabrian organized crime group to alleged drug trafficking. “The same ship that made us a laughing stock around the world, took the piss out of us, too,” says someone from the organized crime group on the recordings.

According to The Times, 20 people have been arrested following the drug investigation.

The drugs have not been found, but it is believed that a crew member would have been involved.

Captain Francesco Schettino was found guilty of manslaughter for the accident and sentenced to 16 years in prison, but there is no indication that he had anything to do with the drug smuggling operation.

Some reports indicate that over 43kg of cocaine has been seized from cruise ship crew members this year.

More than 4,000 people were on board the Costa Concordia when it capsized in January 2012, and 32 people lost their lives.