Police in Bologna arrested a 43-year-old Tunisian man on suspicion of possessing drugs for the purpose of dealing.[1][2] Officers identified him as he moved around the city in a van to meet clients and hand over doses.[1] The inquiry by the Bologna Flying Squad began with reports of suspected dealing at a flat in via di Saliceto, in the Bolognina neighbourhood.[3][2]

A search of the van found 11 ready-to-sell doses of cocaine, a baseball bat and an electric stun device.[1][2] BolognaToday adds that the van also held 60 euros and a mobile phone.[3] In a hideout built into the flat’s wall police found packets of hashish and cocaine, packaging material and 2,000 euros in cash treated as proceeds of the activity.[1] èTV says the hideout was built into the kitchen wall.[4]

In all, officers seized more than 518 grams of hashish and about 21 grams of cocaine.[1][2] The man had previous police records and a conviction for drug-related offences.[4] He was reported as well as arrested for carrying objects capable of causing offence, over the bat and the stun device.[3] The van and the stun device were also seized.[3]

The man had turned his van into a mobile drug shop, where he prepared doses and hid precision scales, hashish and an electric stun device.[5]

The follow-up search of the flat was carried out with the support of the State Police canine unit.[2]