Organised crime gangs needed to find new methods and routes to import illegal drugs into Malta because of COVID-19 restrictions.

In its latest annual report, covering 2021, the security services (MSS) said travel restrictions due to the pandemic impacted the modus operandi of criminal groups.

Drug dealers were unable to go about their normal business- Malta Security Services

This was because the “usual” routes and methods used by these gangs to import drugs were disrupted.

COVID-19 restrictions in countries from where illegal drugs are usually imported also led to “a lack of supply” in Malta. The security services noted a similar phenomenon in 2020.

However, Malta’s island geography meant there were still lots of potential routes, methods and localities for drug importers to exploit, the MSS said.

Furthermore, although drugs were still available on the local market, the COVID-19 restrictions, which saw the closure of restaurants, bars and clubs, meant that drug dealers were unable to go about their normal business, the MSS said.

Despite these supply restrictions, drug arrests and seizures in 2021 were described as “substantial”.

Apart from combatting the drug trade, the MSS is also charged with protecting Malta from potential terrorist threats.

The MSS said the threat of such an attack during the year under review remained low, as there was no intelligence pointing towards any potential plots.

Rise of misinformation

Even though the threat of a terror attack in Malta remains low, the MSS says it is always on the lookout for any such threats, particularly where “vulnerable individuals” can be targeted by extremist groups for recruitment.

The MSS noted how a number of terrorist attacks were carried out throughout Europe in 2021 and a rise in both online and “offline” activity had been registered.

In its annual report, the MSS also delved into the rise of misinformation based on “rumours” creating “unnecessary” public anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic.

It said a number of “unofficial pages” had been used to fuel rumours about COVID-19 positivity rates and deaths, as well as posting private information about positive patients, such as identifying their place of work.

The MSS said that “monitoring” social media had become all the more important, particularly to uncover misinformation about the COVID-19 vaccine and false information about the pandemic.