No injuries were reported; two suspects were detained after a chase, officials said.
TUTURANO, ITALY — Masked robbers armed with military-style weapons shut down a busy highway in southern Italy on Monday morning, set vehicles on fire and used explosives to attack an armored cash transport van, triggering a gunfight with police and a manhunt that ended with two detentions, authorities said.
The ambush on State Road 613, a main route linking the Adriatic port city of Brindisi with Lecce, underscored a spike in highly organized assaults on cash-in-transit vehicles in parts of Italy. Investigators said the raid appeared planned and coordinated, using multiple vehicles, heavy firepower and tactics meant to slow police. Officials said the attack failed to yield a confirmed cash haul, but it spread panic among motorists and forced the closure of a key road corridor in the Puglia region.
Authorities said the assault unfolded shortly before 8 a.m. near Tuturano, a small community outside Brindisi, as the armored van traveled along the divided highway. Investigators said a group of between six and 10 suspects moved into position using more than one vehicle, including at least one van. Some of the assailants appeared to pose as police, using cars equipped with flashing blue lights, according to officials and video taken by motorists. As traffic approached, vehicles were placed across lanes to force the armored van to stop. At least one vehicle was then set ablaze, sending thick smoke across the roadway and leaving drivers trapped behind what witnesses described as a wall of flames. “It looked like a war zone,” a motorist who recorded part of the scene said in remarks carried by Italian media.
With the road blocked, the masked group rushed the armored van and detonated explosives near the rear, officials said. Video from the scene showed a powerful blast that tore open parts of the vehicle’s back end and sent debris onto the pavement. Investigators said gunfire erupted soon after as Carabinieri officers arrived and engaged the suspects. Police said the attackers fired at officers during the escape and scattered metal spikes on the road to puncture pursuing vehicles’ tires. One police vehicle was hit by a bullet, according to officials, but authorities said no officers, security guards or bystanders were reported injured. The armored vehicle belonged to BTV, a cash transport unit connected to the Battistolli Group, officials said.
Officials said the raid appeared designed to overwhelm security measures, but investigators reported that the armored van’s protective system activated, preventing access to the cargo area or contaminating the contents. Police have not publicly confirmed how much money was inside the vehicle, and authorities cautioned that the sequence of events remains under investigation as forensic teams examine the blast site and collect shell casings and other evidence. Carabinieri said the suspects fled in vehicles taken during the chaos, including at least one car stolen from motorists delayed by the roadblock. Italian media reported that some drivers were ordered out of their vehicles at gunpoint as the group searched for faster transportation to escape.
The attack tied up traffic for hours on a road that carries commuters and freight between coastal cities and inland towns. Officials said firefighters extinguished burning vehicles and police swept the area for unexploded materials before reopening lanes. The closures also disrupted deliveries to and from Brindisi’s industrial zone and port facilities. Local leaders condemned the violence and praised emergency crews for preventing injuries. “This was an extremely dangerous operation that put many lives at risk,” a local official said, describing the morning as a test for first responders and for residents who found themselves suddenly stuck on a highway under threat.
Carabinieri said two suspects were detained after fleeing on foot during the pursuit, while other members of the group escaped. Investigators said the detained men were from the Foggia area in northern Puglia, a region that has been linked by Italian authorities to organized groups specializing in attacks on armored vehicles. Police did not immediately release their names, saying identification and procedural steps were still underway. Prosecutors were expected to review evidence and determine formal charges, which in similar cases can include attempted aggravated robbery, illegal possession of weapons and explosives, arson and obstruction of public services. Authorities said additional suspects were still being sought and that road checkpoints and aerial searches were used to track possible escape routes through rural roads and nearby towns.
Cash-in-transit attacks have long been a focus for Italian law enforcement, particularly in regions where criminal networks can draw on logistics, stolen vehicles and access to military-grade weapons. Investigators said Monday’s assault showed signs of a “commando-style” approach: multiple roles, rapid movement, use of fire and smoke for cover, and methods meant to delay police response. Security experts say armored transport firms have expanded countermeasures in recent years, including reinforced compartments, tracking systems and anti-theft devices that can seal doors or protect cash from being handled after an attack. Officials emphasized that those defenses can reduce losses, but they do not eliminate the danger to people on the road when heavy explosives and automatic weapons are used in public spaces.
Motorists who witnessed the ambush described fear and confusion as smoke rose and masked men moved between stopped cars. In some clips, suspects appear to wear light-colored coveralls and carry long guns while shouting instructions and scanning the traffic jam. “We were stuck, and nobody knew where to go,” one driver said, describing how people crouched inside vehicles as shots rang out. Police said they are collecting video from drivers and nearby cameras to map the suspects’ movements, identify vehicles used in the ambush and confirm whether any money was removed from the armored van before the gang fled. Investigators also said they will examine the burned vehicles to determine whether they were stolen and how the fires were set.
By Monday evening, investigators said the crime scene had been cleared, the highway had largely reopened and the two detained suspects remained in custody while prosecutors prepared next steps. Police said the search for additional suspects was continuing and that further updates were expected as forensic results and witness statements are reviewed.
Author note: Last updated February 9, 2026.