Revealed: Identities of Gozitan trio in French ski resort crime

On Monday, a French court handed three men from Gozo suspended prison sentences and banned them from entering France for five years.

They were arrested last month in the Savoie region in connection with what prosecutors described as a large-scale nitrous oxide distribution operation forming part of an organised illicit resale network targeting ski resorts.

While the trio’s identification has been a guarded secret, multiple sources confirmed to The Shift that Nataniel Galea, known as l-Iskotch from Xagħra; Kurt Buttigieg, known as Is-Siżjar from Nadur; and Chris Mizzi, known as il-Lilly, also from Nadur, were those involved in a large-scale nitrous oxide (known as laughing gas) distribution operation forming part of an organised illicit resale network targeting ski resorts, including Les Arcs and Bourg-Saint-Maurice.

The three men are known to the Gozo police, particularly within circles associated with drug distribution, though they had never faced criminal charges in Malta.

Last month, the men were detained in the Savoie region after French police and customs officials seized more than 6,000 canisters of nitrous oxide with an estimated street value of €340,000.

Authorities reportedly conducted surveillance before executing coordinated searches of vehicles, storage facilities, and accommodations linked to the suspects.

Investigators said the gas was not intended for legitimate culinary or medical purposes but for recreational resale, a practice increasingly targeted under French public health and consumer protection laws.

While nitrous oxide is not classified as a narcotic, its large-scale distribution for psychoactive use can result in criminal prosecution. Heavy consumption has been linked to neurological damage and other serious health consequences.

The case was heard before the Tribunal in Albertville.

In Malta, their identities have circulated within Gozo’s tightly-knit community.

Multiple sources confirmed that Galea is employed in beach operations in Comino, while Buttigieg comes from a well-known Nadur family but does not appear to have regular employment. Mizzi, the youngest of the three, is also reported to be without a fixed job.

French lawmakers tightened controls on nitrous oxide in 2021 following a surge in recreational use, particularly among young people.

During their court procedures, the Gozitan trio were represented by French lawyer Pierre Olivier Lambert, assisted by Maltese lawyers Franco Debono and Marion Camilleri.