Costa Concordia cruise liner ‘was carrying coke for the Mafia’ when it capsized

There could be some very expensive sludge clogging up a shipwreck in the Mediterranean...

The doomed cruise liner Costa Concordia was carrying a massive shipment of cocaine for the Mafia when it ran aground and capsized on its final voyage in 2012, investigators have said.

As you’d imagine, the tragic loss of this ship didn’t go down too well with the Mafioso.

“The same ship that made us a laughing stock around the world, took the piss out of us too,” Ndrangheta boss Michele Rossi was reportedly heard saying to an associate Massimo Tiralongo, according to police.

Not a sausage from the heartless criminals about the 32 souls who lost their lives, we note.

Police recordings of the southern Italian gangsters suggest that the drugs were on board the Costa Concordia, but authorities have yet to confirm if drugs have been discovered in the wreck.

Investigators believe that the coke was stowed without the knowledge of senior ships’ officers, but it is probable that some junior crew members were involved.

20 people have been arrested following the allegations, Italian newspaper La Repubblica claims.

Drug smuggling on cruise ships appears to be big business, with some reports suggesting at least 43kg of ‘Columbian marching powder’ has been seized from various crews this year already.