It’s a red herring.
This translation seems incorrect. I have looked in several sources and see nothing to indicate that it means “red herring” - and many that seem to indicate it means a false identity or front (as with a money-laundering business).
“4. fig. Ciò che serve a dissimulare, a dare una falsa apparenza: attività lecita che serve di c. a un’altra illecita.”
I have “una falsa pista” as a red herring. However, from “Montalbano” I think this may mean “a cover”, “a smokescreen”, “a cover up”, a kind of red herring.
Yes, that’s correct - a false front, a cover up - but to my knowledge that’s not a red herring.
I get why they’ve used it, a red herring=camouflage etc. You can always report it if it doesn’t sit right for you.
It’s a red herring.
The audio now says something that sounds like copertura di traffici illeciti.
Ciao @morbrorper, uhm, a “red herring” seems to be a rather tame frase to use for something as hot as “illegal trafficking”. Mind you I can’t think of anything better right now, only “copertura cattiva” 
Ciao!