Catania, Carabinieri checks together with NAS in the “Villaggio Santa Maria Goretti” to protect the health of citizens and tourists

As part of the services arranged by the Provincial Command of the Carabinieri of Catania, aimed at preventing and repressing widespread illegality as well as health and hygiene protection, the military personnel of the Catania Fontanarossa Airport Station Command, together with their colleagues from the Anti-Adoption Unit (NAS) of Catania, those of the Operational Intervention Company CIO of the 12th “Sicilia” Regiment, as well as with the support of the Local Police and Enel technicians, have intensified controls in the neighborhood adjacent to the airport.

In this context, several businesses dealing with the sale of food were inspected and 3 of them were fined for food safety, while the owner of a kiosk was also reported at large for aggravated theft of electricity.

In this regard, the monitored kiosk, owned by a 56-year-old local man, had been transformed into a real bar despite being, in reality, an “itinerant” business. The ownerIn fact, without any authorization, he placed tables and chairs on the street, thus illegally occupying public land and, therefore, he was also administratively fined for almost €6.000 and all the material was seized.

Furthermore, the kiosk was using “zero-cost” electricity, because an illegal connection to the national electricity grid had been made at the back and, therefore, on the basis of the evidence collected to be verified in court, the owner was reported to the Judicial Authority.

A nearby bakery, however, registered to a 43-year-old woman from Catania, received a fine of €3.000 because, in addition to the poor hygienic and sanitary conditions, the Carabinieri found that it did not have the HACCP self-control manual. This manual, which is based on the guidelines established by the specific protocol, is essential for the prevention of food risks, because it allows operators in the sector to not lose sight of the critical points that can be found in the manufacturing processes carried out within the commercial activity.

An entire supermarket, however, was closed because the start of the activity had never been reported to the relevant authorities - through the Certified Notification of Commencement of Activity SCIA.

The owner, a 67-year-old resident of Gravina, did not even have any health authorization to carry out that type of sales and, therefore, was fined €5.000.

The inspection activities carried out by the territorial force, together with the NAS Carabinieri, are essential to guarantee consumer safety and ensure that commercial activities comply with health regulations, thus preventing any risks to public health.