Cash‑Van Ambush on Puglia Highway Foiled, Two Suspects Arrested

Overview

• A coordinated team of at least six masked men attacked an armored Battistolli van on the SS613 between Brindisi and Lecce on Monday morning, using a burned truck to block traffic.
• The assailants posed as police with blue‑light vehicles, deployed explosives, and exchanged gunfire with carabinieri, with one round piercing a police car’s windshield.
• Anti‑explosion countermeasures inside the van and a rapid police response prevented any theft, and the defense minister said no civilians or officers were injured.
• The attackers fled by stealing motorists’ cars; officers later found abandoned vehicles near Squinzano and detained two suspects after a chase, who are being held in Lecce.
• Investigators are pursuing remaining members and assessing possible ties to Foggia‑based crews, with Italian reports noting the two arrestees are from Foggia and that one is a former soldier, while a police union urges stronger security resources.