France National Detained in Italy Over Akeron Missiles Disguised as Training Weapons

A 46-year-old French national was detained at the Italian port of Bari after Italian authorities found five containers of military equipment in his truck, including three anti-tank missiles from the Akeron system.

Euronews reported this, citing investigation materials and a court ruling issued by the city of Bari.

The Frenchman was stopped by Italian law enforcement officers after disembarking from the Superfast II ferry, which had arrived from the Greek city of Patras.

During an inspection of the French-registered van, authorities found five transport-launch containers: one was empty, another contained a training missile, while the remaining three held live Akeron missiles.

To determine the type and potential danger of the cargo, law enforcement officials called in experts from the Italian Army.

The analysis showed that blue adhesive tape had been placed over the containers. Under NATO standards, this marking indicates training equipment containing no explosives.

After the blue tape was removed, the original yellow-and-black markings were found underneath, indicating that the missiles were equipped with high-explosive anti-tank warheads.

The detained driver said he worked as a subcontractor for a company specializing in the transportation of military cargo and was carrying out a job commissioned by defense contractor MBDA.

According to him, the equipment was being transported to Greece for repairs by Altus LSA. However, Italian investigators found that the driver’s transport company was actually owned by his wife and had no specialization in military transport.

The defense presented documents and an authorization issued by the French Ministry of Armed Forces in 2025. However, the court noted discrepancies in the dates and stamps, as well as the absence of Italian permits required for the transit of weapons.

The judge ordered the suspect to be held in custody pending clarification of the origin and final destination of the cargo.

The Akeron MP is a fifth-generation French anti-tank guided missile system developed by MBDA. It is designed to engage armored vehicles and fortified positions at ranges of up to 4–5 km, using either a fire-and-forget mode or manual guidance via a fiber-optic link.