Italian police have seized more than €50 million worth of opiates trafficked by the terror group "Islamic State," authorities say. They said some of the profits would have been used to finance terrorist activities.
Image: Reuters/A. Bianchi
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Italian police have seized some 24 million tablets of a synthetic opiate used by "Islamic State" (IS) militants to fund both terrorist attacks and to prepare fighters for combat, authorities said on Friday.
The Tramadol pills, with a street value of €50 million ($58 million) were intercepted at the southern port of Gioia Tauro (top photo), customs police said in a statement. The shipment came from India and was destined for Libya, they said.
The US Drug Enforcement Administration collaborated in the investigation.
The pills sell for about €2.00 ($2.33) eachImage: picture alliance/Chicago Tribune/Jose M. Osorio
'Fighter's drug'
Tramadol, a powerful painkiller normally available only on prescription, is known as the "fighter's drug" and is widely used by IS militias as a stimulant and to increase resistance to physical effort, according to Italian authorities.
The chief prosecutor for the city of Reggio Calabria, Federico Cafiero De Raho, said illegal drug sales were also used "to finance the terrorist activities planned and carried out around the world."
A similar seizure was made in Greece last year, while an even larger shipment was discovered in Italy's northern port of Genoa in May.
Gioia Tauro, located north of Reggio Calabria, is Italy's largest container port and a node for traffic to and from the Far East.
What is the 'Islamic State'?
IS has gone from an obscure al-Qaida splinter group to a global phenomenon. DW takes a look at the defining aspects of the jihadi group — from its "caliphate" to its tactics.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/Al-Furqan
Where did it come from?
The "Islamic State" (IS) — also known as ISIL, ISIS and Daesh — is an al-Qaida splinter group with a militant Sunni Islamist ideology. It emerged in the aftermath of the US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003 and is led by Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. Their goal is to create a worldwide "caliphate." It gained worldwide notoriety in 2014 after a blitzkrieg military campaign that resulted in the capture of Mosul.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo
Where does it operate?
IS is believed to be operational in more than a dozen countries across the world. It controls territories in Iraq and Syria. However, the group has lost much of the territory it controlled in Iraq and Syria at the height of its expansion in 2014.
Who is fighting back?
The US leads an international coalition of more than 50 countries, including several Arab nations. Russia, Iran and its Lebanese Shiite ally Hezbollah, which all support the Syrian government, also fight IS. Regional forces such as the Kurdish peshmerga (above) and US-backed Syrian Kurdish fighters, fight IS on the ground. The Iraqi army and militia have pushed IS from large parts of the country.
Image: picture-alliance/abaca/H. Huseyin
How does it fund itself?
One of IS' main sources of income has been oil and gas. At one point, it controlled an estimated one-third of Syria's oil production. However, US-led airstrikes deliberately targeted oil resources and the Syrian government as well as US-backed Syrian Kurdish fighters have retaken most oil wells. Other means of income include taxes, ransom, selling looted antiquities and extortion.
Image: Getty Images/J. Moore
Where does it carry out attacks?
IS has claimed responsibility for numerous terrorist attacks across the globe. The militant group has targeted capitals across the EU, including Berlin, Brussels and Paris. IS leaders have encouraged so-called "lone wolf" attacks, whereby individuals who support IS carry out terrorist acts without the direct involvement of the group.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/M. Spingler
What other tactics does it use?
The group uses various tactics to expand its power. IS fighters have looted and destroyed historical artifacts in Syria and Iraq in an attempt at "cultural cleansing." The group has also enslaved thousands of women from religious minority groups, including Yazidis. IS also uses a sophisticated social network to distribute propaganda and recruit sympathizers.
Image: Getty Images/AFP/J. Eid
How has it impacted the region?
IS has further exacerbated the ongoing Syrian conflict. Millions of Syrians and Iraqis have fled their homes, many traveling to Europe in pursuit of refuge. Although it has lost all of its strongholds, the militant group has left extraordinary destruction in its wake. Areas affected by the militant group's rule will likely take years to rebuild.
