A brazen highway heist in southern Italy left an armored truck in ruins and traffic at a standstill. Around six masked men armed with Kalashnikov rifles detonated explosives on the Lecce-Brindisi motorway, ripping apart the vehicle's doors and roof in a daylight ambush. Viral footage captured the blast sending smoke billowing across the road as traffic screeched to a halt.

Italian media reported the gang swiftly unloaded the van's contents into waiting vehicles while providing armed cover. The Italian police arriving at the scene exchanged gunfire with the suspects, leaving a patrol car with a bullet hole in its windscreen. Authorities have not confirmed the exact amount of cash stolen, though the heist's audacity suggests a significant haul.

Two suspects were arrested after abandoning a white Alfa Romeo and attempting to flee on foot near Squinzano, while others remain at large. The incident highlights the persistent threat of organized crime in Italy's southern regions, where cash-in-transit robberies have become increasingly sophisticated. The brazen nature of the attack, conducted in broad daylight on a major highway, underscores the challenges faced by security forces in protecting valuable cargo routes.