Albania's border police had seized some 161 kg of cannabis sativa, a narcotic substance, in the port city of Vlora, police said Sunday.

The drug was found Saturday in a truck embarking on a ferry destined for the Italian port city of Brindisi, said officials from the border police.

The truck driver, who was also arrested, told police that he had rented the truck to import bricks from Italy, but police suspected he was part of a drug trafficking ring.

Albania is a major cannabis-producing country in Europe and a transit point for other drugs coming from other regions.