Bisceglie (Puglia), drug dealing and sale of contraband tobacco: 13 people arrested

From 04:00 this morning , about 70 Carabinieri of the Provincial Carabinieri Command of Barletta-Andria-Trani – supported by the specialized departments of the Helicopter Squadron of the Carabinieri Hunters of Puglia, of the 6th Carabinieri Helicopter Unit of Bari and of the Dog Unit of Modugno, as well as with the collaboration of the Carabinieri Company of Desio (Monza Brianza), where one of the suspects is located - have implemented the precautionary measure order in prison, and under house arrest, issued by the GIP of the Court of Trani - at the request of the Public Prosecutor's Office of Trani - against 13 subjectsti (4 in prison; 9 under house arrest) deemed – in various capacities – seriously suspected of the sale, distribution and marketing of narcotics in competition with each other, As well as of import, transport and sale of contraband foreign manufactured tobacco, that they arrived in the Bisceglie port by sea, on board of local fishing boats.

The aforementioned precautionary measures were issued following the investigation called "Recover", conducted by the soldiers of the Bisceglie Tenenza, starting from June 2022.

Today's operation, comes at the end of an investigative activity conducted by the military of the Bisceglie Tenancy, carried out under the direction of the Trani Prosecutor's Office, resulting from the investigation against two suspects of Albanian nationalityand – whose position is removed – from which connections emerged between the aforementioned and some subjects from Bisceglie, object of subsequent insights that allowed - through technical and dynamic activities – to acquire an important compendium of circumstantial evidence against them for the disputed facts.

The investigation made it possible to collect elements regarding the activity of drug dealing - whose supply came from Northern Italy – as well as that of import, transport and sale of contraband foreign processed tobaccos – who arrived in the Bisceglie port by sea, aboard local fishing boats – conducted in that city center by subjects linked together by close relationships of trust – built on assiduous attendance – e to decipher the peculiar cryptic language used by some of the suspects in telephone conversations.

During the investigation - which lasted until last February - I'm three people were arrested by the Carabinieri of the Tenenza of Bisceglie in the act of smuggling 1120 kg. of foreign manufactured tobaccos and numerous further findings were carried out, proving that the criminal activity continued - without interruption - despite the repressive interventions carried out by the military personnel.

The suspects, according to the accusatory approach accepted by the investigating judge – without prejudice to the evaluation in the subsequent procedural phases also conducted in light of the defense's contribution - are held responsible – in various capacities – in relation to numerous sales of narcotic substances, as well as the introduction e sale of smuggled foreign manufactured tobacco.

Complete the ritual formalities, 4 subjects were associated with the relevant prison, while 9 subjects were subjected to house arrest.