Anti-mafia operation in Brindisi, Lecce, and Chieti: leaders of the Mesagne and Torre del Greco branches of the Sacra Corona Unita were targeted.

A wide-ranging anti-mafia operation has dealt a decisive blow to the Mesagne and Torre del Greco branches of the Sacra Corona Unita, a historic Apulian criminal organization. The Carabinieri of the Brindisi Provincial Command, with the support of the Carabinieri's special units during the execution phase, have executed thirteen pre-trial detention orders issued by the preliminary investigations judge of the Court of Lecce at the request of the District Anti-Mafia Directorate. The orders concern a total of 14 individuals, charged with various counts of mafia-type association and a long list of related crimes, which outline a structured, violent, and deeply rooted criminal organization.

Precautionary measures and seizure of assets

The operation took place across the provinces of Brindisi, Lecce, and Chieti, confirming the geographic scope of the group's illicit activities. In addition to the arrests, the military carried out the preventive seizure of a property and the business inside, with a total estimated value of approximately €600. According to investigators, the property served as the organization's operational and logistical base, regularly used for meetings, gatherings between members, and for managing its main criminal activities.

The charges and the scope of the investigation

The suspects face various charges, including external involvement in mafia association, fraud against the state, usury, extortion, personal injury, illegal possession and carrying of firearms, and conspiracy to traffic narcotics. This catalog of crimes paints a picture of a criminal organization capable of operating on multiple fronts, combining business, intimidation, and violence to maintain control of the territory and illegal economies.

Investigations by the District Anti-Mafia Directorate

The investigation, directed by the Lecce District Anti-Mafia Directorate and conducted by the Investigative Unit of the Brindisi Provincial Command, took place between June 2020 and June 2022. The investigation began with the release of the initiator and organizer of the association, a prominent figure in the "Pasimeni–Vitale–Vicientino" clan, already known to law enforcement. His release marked a rapid reorganization of criminal activities, allowing the clan to reassert its presence and operations.

Investigative connections and criminal associations

During the investigation, the involvement of a person operating in the Brindisi area also emerged, having already been identified in a previous investigation led by the Brindisi Public Prosecutor's Office and carried out by the Police Headquarters' Flying Squad. The connection between the various strands of the investigation allowed us to reconstruct a unified picture and extend the precautionary order to this suspect, who is believed to be fully involved in the mafia context and related crimes.

The chain of command and the role of prison

One of the most significant aspects of the investigation concerns the reconstruction of the organization's chain of command. Investigators documented how the leader continued to issue directives even from prison, using his nephew as a go-between and a lieutenant operating in the field. This well-established system allowed the top brass to maintain control over strategic decisions and illicit activities, despite his imprisonment.

Control of the territory and the extortion system

The organization exercised a fierce criminal hegemony over its area, based on intimidation and violence. Central to its operations was the extortion system aimed at supporting prisoners: the initiator collected the so-called "punto" or "pensiero" payment from drug dealers active in the area. The proceeds were used to support the leader and his associates in prison and to provide financial support for their families, thus strengthening the association's bonds and internal consensus.

Relationships between clans and drug trafficking

The group's leadership also maintained relations with the leaders of other Mesagne fringe groups and with members of the Sacra Corona Unita operating in different areas. Their respective spheres of responsibility were agreed upon and common strategies were defined. In this context, the organization also directed and coordinated drug trafficking, one of the organization's main funding channels.

Violence, intimidation and usury

Alongside their drug dealing activities, the group resorted extensively to violence. Beatings and assaults were used both to protect members and to collect outstanding debts from the dealers. Added to this was systematic armed extortion against local businessmen and merchants, who were forced to submit to the clan's demands. Also particularly alarming was the use of usury, granting loans at exorbitant interest rates, and money laundering through an illegal network of online gambling and betting on unauthorized channels.

Arrests in flagrante and drug seizures

During the investigation, the Carabinieri's constant and prompt action also led to the arrest of 13 other people in flagrante delicto. At the same time, over two kilograms of narcotics, including cocaine, marijuana, and hashish, were seized. This result demonstrates the Carabinieri's continued pressure on the criminal phenomenon and drug trafficking networks.

A comprehensive and far-reaching balance sheet

Overall, the criminal proceedings involve 34 individuals under investigation and represent one of the most significant recent interventions against organized crime in the Salento and Brindisi areas. The operation confirms the District Anti-Mafia Directorate's and law enforcement's unwavering commitment to combating historic mafia structures, targeting not only the individuals but also the assets and operational bases that allow the clans to survive and regenerate.