Bari: Major operation against the Strisciuglio clan at the San Paolo stadium.

In early yesterday morning, in Bari, Triggiano and at the penitentiary institutions of Lecce, Trani, Larino (CB), Naples, Lanciano (CH), San Gimignano (SI) and Viterbo, Carabinieri of the Provincial Command of Bari, with the support of 6th Bari Helicopter CC Nucleus and Carabinieri Dog Unit of Modugno, they implemented a precautionary custody order in prison issued by the GIP of the Court of Bari at the request of the DDA, towards 12 subjects, seriously accused of Mafia, association aimed at drug trafficking, shop, aggravated extortion and attempted extortion, carrying and possession of clandestine and war weapons, stolen, aggravated personal injury, dangerous ignitions and explosions, crimes aggravated by mafia method and purposes.

The survey, called “Lockdown”, led by Operational Unit of the Carabinieri Company of Bari San Paolo from September 2019 to May 2023 with the coordination of the District Anti-Mafia Directorate, represents a further investigation “Vortex – Mistral” and photographs the activities of the criminal gang “I crawl” in the neighborhood Saint Paul of Bari.

The precautionary order has outlined organizational structures, roles of the associates, affiliation rites, internal dynamics and numerous illicit activities of the clan, including drug trafficking ed extortion at construction sites, under penalty of interruption of the works.

They have been found manuscripts containing initiation rites, formulas and oaths of the “Camorra society”.

During the travel restrictions imposed by Covid-19, there have been documented mafia summit under the arcades of the public housing complexes, the clan's stronghold, where decisions were taken regarding acts of intimidation, beatings and shootings.

The frictions with the family are emblematic “Vavalle”, historical antagonist of the “Strisciuglio” in the San Paolo district, culminating in March 2020 with gunshots against the door of a bar, a car and a butcher's shop.

According to the prosecution's approach, the clan managed a massive drug trafficking, using hidden storage locations, known as “gloomy”, also attributable to unsuspecting subjects, in which they were found large quantities of narcotics, clandestine and war weapons, ammunition, and cash. Some of the seized banknotes bore the names of the affiliates who received the funds.

The illicit proceeds flowed into a common fund intended for the purchase of drugs, legal assistance for arrested associates, and support for prisoners and their families, also to dissuade them from potentially collaborating with justice or approaching rival clans.

From the penitentiary institutions, the leaders of the gang were able to give orders through “embassies” entrusted to family members and also through illegally possessed cell phones, receiving daily updates from free members.

The clan operated with a rigid pyramid scheme, gathering together every Saturday to carry out accounting and distribute the proceeds of illegal activities.