Catania, Operation “Villa Glori”: extortion, theft, receiving stolen goods, production, trafficking and possession of drugs and weapons. 12 precautionary measures issued
The investigations also revealed that 12 suspects were also involved in the trafficking and illicit possession of narcotic substances, mainly marijuana, hashish and synthetic drugs.
Catania, Operation “Villa Glori”: extortion, theft, receiving stolen goods, production, trafficking and possession of drugs and weapons. 12 precautionary measures issued
Already in the early hours of the morning, on behalf of the District Attorney's Office of Catania, over 100 soldiers from the Provincial Carabinieri Command of Catania, supported by the specialized departments of the Carabinieri, they are executing an order implementing a personal precautionary measure (6 in prison and 6 under house arrest) issued by the GIP of the Court of Catania, at the request of the local District Attorney's Office, against 12 individuals.
They are also carrying out house searches with a simultaneous information of guarantee, issued by the District Attorney's Office of Catania, against a further 8 suspects at liberty.
According to the accusatory approach accepted by the GIP, in light of the elements currently available and considering the preliminary trial phase which has not yet allowed the establishment of the adversarial process before the judge, the suspects are held responsible, for various reasons, of the crimes of complicity in extortion, aggravated theft in complicity, aggravated receiving of stolen goods in complicity, illicit production, trafficking and possession of narcotic substances, as well as illegal possession of weapons.
The operation, called “VILLA GLORI”, allowed us to hit a criminal group, with weapons available and with an operational base in a “stable” located in the Picanello district of Catania. The group, using highly technological tools, is said to have committed dozens of vehicle thefts throughout the province of Catania.
Subsequently, the suspects allegedly extorted sums of money exceeding thousands of euros depending on the make, model and market value of the vehicle, from the owners for restitution through the so-called “return horse” method. Alternatively, the vehicles were sold to be dismantled to receive the parts on the black market.
The investigations also revealed that 12 suspects were also involved in the trafficking and illicit possession of narcotic substances, mainly marijuana, hashish and synthetic drugs.
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