The ship Giorgio Cini, the floating academy of the Guardia di Finanza Naval School (the Italian economic and financial police), will be stopping in the Valletta Grand Harbour from today to Sunday in the framework of its annual training campaign in the Mediterranean.

The Guardia di Finanza has redesigned its structure by including a High Seas component and a regional component. The high seas component, which includes five aeronaval groups and one aeromaritime exploration group, is equipped with means having great reconnaissance capabilities.

It fulfils the new need to control the Mediterranean Sea and its seaways for the safety of trade and against the trafficking of people and illicit products, especially narcotics. To achieve these ends, in cooperation with the Italian Ministry of Internal Affairs, it pursues close cooperation with the coastal countries, European Union members, and all others that are open to the development of a common security framework.

The regional component performs safety tasks in territorial waters and economic-financial police duties – which are typical of the Guardia di Finanza – with regard to operations that are directly linked to sea and port activities. The aim is to avoid the illegal exploiting of state property (especially the shores) and that commercial transactions are correctly carried out, in order to protect consumers and pleasure boaters.