Cocaine smuggling racket is busted after cops spot firm is named after movie mafia boss 

Cocaine smuggling racket is busted after Italian cops spot fake coffee firm is named after mafia boss in John Wick movies

  • Officers intercepted a package sent from Colombia to Malpensa airport in Milan
  • The beans had been hollowed out filled with the illegal substance and taped shut
  • There was estimated to be 150g of cocaine powder inside 

A cocaine smuggling racket has been busted after Italian police spotted a fake coffee firm which shared its name with a mafia boss in the John Wick movies.

Officers intercepted a package of 500 coffee beans that had been sent from Medellin, Colombia, to Malpensa airport in Milan, Italy.

Police said their suspicions were raised after they saw the name Santino D’Antonio, who was a mafia boss in American action film John Wick, written across the packet.

Officers intercepted a package of 500 coffee beans that had been sent from Medellin, Colombia, to Malpensa airport in Milan, Italy

Officers intercepted a package of 500 coffee beans that had been sent from Medellin, Colombia, to Malpensa airport in Milan, Italy

On closer inspection of the 2kg package, officers found the beans had been hollowed out, filled with the illegal substance and then carefully closed again using dark brown tape.

There was estimated to be 150g of cocaine powder inside. 

The goods had been addressed to a tobacco shop in Florence. Police tracked the package as it was delivered before arresting a 50-year-old man who arrived to collect it.

On closer inspection of the 2kg package, officers found the beans had been hollowed out, filled with the illegal substance and then carefully closed again using dark brown tape

On closer inspection of the 2kg package, officers found the beans had been hollowed out, filled with the illegal substance and then carefully closed again using dark brown tape

Police said their suspicions were raised after they saw the name Santino D'Antonio, who was a mafia boss in American action film John Wick, written across the packet

Police said their suspicions were raised after they saw the name Santino D’Antonio, who was a mafia boss in American action film John Wick, written across the packet

Santino D'Antonio, played by Riccardo Scamarcio, (pictured) appeared in the second instalment of the John Wick franchise

Santino D’Antonio, played by Riccardo Scamarcio, (pictured) appeared in the second instalment of the John Wick franchise

Italian police named their covert operation Caffe’ Scorretto (improper coffee) as a play on word against that popular continental beverage Caffe’ Corretto (corrected coffee) which consists of espresso with an added splash of sambuca.  

But it is not the first time that drugs smugglers have tried to hide their illicit goods in deliveries of coffee.

In January last year, Italian police seized a massive haul of 644kg of cocaine hidden inside bags of Honduran coffee.

The goods had been addressed to a tobacco shop in Florence. Police tracked the package as it was delivered before arresting a 50-year-old man who arrived to collect it

The goods had been addressed to a tobacco shop in Florence. Police tracked the package as it was delivered before arresting a 50-year-old man who arrived to collect it

Santino D'Antonio went up against Keanu Reeves (pictured) after the protagonist returned to the criminal underworld to repay a debt - only to discover a large bounty had been put on his head

Santino D’Antonio went up against Keanu Reeves (pictured) after the protagonist returned to the criminal underworld to repay a debt – only to discover a large bounty had been put on his head

Similarly, in 2014, a coffee roaster in Berlin found 33kg of cocaine inside a bag of beans, which police said came from Brazil.  

Santino D’Antonio, played by Riccardo Scamarcio, appeared in the second instalment of the John Wick franchise. 

He went up against Keanu Reeves after the protagonist returned to the criminal underworld to repay a debt – only to discover a large bounty had been put on his head.  

source: dailymail.co.uk