A 61-year-old woman has been arrested in Rome on serious drug trafficking charges after police discovered cocaine hidden inside modified soda cans featuring artificially created false bottoms. The cans were designed to hold daily drug doses for distribution to customers.
Officers from the XV Ponte Milvio District uncovered and halted the unauthorized “powdered drink” home delivery service, operated from a Fiat Panda. The investigation began during one of her delivery runs when police stopped her vehicle near Corso Francia.
The woman appeared visibly tense during the initial check. A subsequent search of the car revealed the reason for her nervousness: two creatively altered soft drink cans. She had ingeniously engineered a double-snap opening system, allowing drugs to be inserted or removed simply by unscrewing a “reserve” lid.
Inside these “powdered drink” cans, officers found six packages of cocaine. Four additional packages were concealed in the car’s glove compartment. Approximately €2,000 in cash was also discovered in the woman’s backpack; she could not provide a legitimate explanation for its origin.
The alleged drug dealer was immediately arrested. The arrest was later validated by judicial authorities. She is formally under investigation for possession with intent to distribute narcotics.