San Pietro Vernotico (Brindisi), member of the Sacra Corona Unita ordered extortions from prison: 4 people arrested for mafia association

At dawn on July 22, 2024, San Pietro Vernotico (Toasts), the Carabinieri of the Provincial Command of Brindisi, support in the executive phase of the military of the Puglia Helicopter Hunter Squadron, of the Brindisi Emergency Response Unit and of the Modugno (Bari) Dog Unit, they executed a detention order of a crime suspect of the Public Prosecutor, issued by the Public Prosecutor's Office – District Anti-Mafia Directorate - of Lecce against four people, investigated in various capacities for the crimes of “mafia-type association” with the aggravating circumstance of being an armed association, attempted extortion, possession and possession of firearms, personal injury, damage with explosives or as a result of fire.

The investigation, conducted by the Investigative Unit of the Operational Department of the Provincial Command of Brindisi, supported by a structured technical system, made of audio interceptions – videos, telematics, dynamic shadowing and observation services, was launched in October 2022 following of serious acts of intimidation against some commercial establishments, occurred in San Pietro Vernotico (Brindisi), and has allowed to document the existence of a criminal association attributable to a mafia-type association operating in San Pietro Vernotico of which the chief promoter is a person affiliated with the mafia organization called Sacra Corona Unita, who, even while detained, gave directives and orders to the organization regarding illicit activities, control of the territory, management of the common fund, maintenance of participants and their families.

The prisoner with the role of chief promoter of the mafia group under investigation as well as the creator of a series of acts of intimidation and damage towards local entrepreneurs and the ex-wife and/or her family members considered responsible for having established a new sentimental bond, is considered the principal in October 2022, of the damage following the explosion of a paper bomb placed near a commercial establishment, damaging the shutter, the paving in front and the glass door of the entrance door; in February 2023, of the damage following the explosion of a bomb, located near the same commercial establishment, which it damaged the shutter, the glass window and a refrigerated counter containing food; in February 2023, of damage to a shutter, taken from at least fifteen 7x65A caliber gunshots from a commercial establishment.

Despite being restricted to a detention facility he would have effectively directed, promoted and established the mafia association, exercising the control action of the territory, for the through his associates, to whom he was able to give orders, using illicitly held mobile devices or personal computers; in particular he communicated with a person who holds the role of organizer of the criminal group under investigation, who, having received instructions, coordinated and gave orders, if necessary, to the various subjects believed to be participants in the mafia association, who, having received the operational provisions, implemented multiple executors as materials criminal actions, acts of intimidation, damage, personal injuries, all committed in the territory of San Pietro Vernotico and also took care to collect the thought that the associates and third parties were forced to correspond to the inmate chief promoter.

On behalf of the subjects burdened by the Precautionary Measure were documented during the investigation activities serious elements of crime, about membership of the aforementioned mafia organisation, as well as the dynamics based on territorial control, also resorting to the use of weapons and explosives, as well as incendiary actions for intimidating purposes; several attempted extortions against local entrepreneurs. They were in particularly brutal ways bomb attacks carried out, damage following fire to cars and/or fire to commercial activities, also resorting to firing shots at some of the shutters of the aforementioned ones in that city center, followed by extortion requests; a violent physical assault, so-called punitive action aimed at a family member of the ex-wife of the leader and promoter of the organization, during the celebrations on the occasion of the patronal feast in San Pietro, in order to consolidate the criminal power of the association by implementing a form of subjugation and control of the territory; And proven intimidation mechanisms put in place by the prisoner, also against the ex-wife claimed through the Social Network, because she was held responsible for having established a new sentimental bond; in addition to actions of delegitimization towards the Commander of the San Pietro Vernotico Station, implemented between September and October 2023, implemented by the mafia organization and the chief promoter of the prisoner association, in order to gain accreditation with the community of San Pietro Vernotico and obtain the transfer of the Station Commander, considered particularly active in combating the illegal conduct of the clan in San Pietro Vernotico, implemented through the service activities carried out by the Army in the territory, and to discredit its image considering that the Commander would have testified in a trial against the clan leader.

In this regard, the latter, in a criminal hearing at the Court of Brindisi in which the Station Commander was summoned as a witness in a trial in which the prisoner was under investigation for another crime, during his deposition via videoconference from the place of punishment he presented to the Judge a sheet of paper showing a blurry photo which, according to him, portrayed the Station Commander, with the aim of discrediting his testimony.

The technical activity made it possible to ascertain that the photo, already circulated previously, had been fabricated by associates on the indication of the detained chief promoter with the aim, through defamatory activity, of obtaining the transfer of the Station Commander, held responsible for having hindered the clan's criminal activity and for wanting to testify in a trial involving the clan leader.

The investigative activity also allowed us to arrest a minor in flagrante delicto for possession and possession of explosive material; the minor was stopped and arrested while he was busy placing a homemade explosive device containing gunpowder of the deadly type weighing approximately 900 grams in a commercial establishment in that city center; arrest in flagrante delicto a person responsible for the crimes of carrying and possessing clandestine weapons with an abraded serial number, with the simultaneous seizure of a war weapon of the AK 47 Kalashnikov type; report in a state of freedom a person responsible for the crimes of possession of a firearm and explosive material; during a house search it was found and a clandestine long gun equipped with a silencer and a homemade explosive device of the "candle" type were seized” weighing 60 g; seize in two different circumstances a mobile phone and a laptop complete with charger, mouse and its carrying bag, found during a search delegated by the DDAA of Lecce, by personnel of the Penitentiary Police on duty at the place of detention, in the cell of the head promoter of the investigated mafia association, in his direct availability; arrest in flagrante delicto a person responsible for the crimes of possession of explosive material (in this case two sticks) e possession for the purpose of dealing narcotic substances (seized narcotics of the "Marijuana" type for approximately 411 grams and of the Hashish type approximately 187 grams and various packaging material).

In light of the evidence collected during the investigation and assessed the dangerousness of the illicit activities carried out and of the same authors, who in recent weeks had intensified the intimidating activities in San Pietro Vernotico, the Carabinieri of the Provincial Command of Brindisi executed this morning the arrest warrant issued by the District Anti-Mafia Directorate of the Public Prosecutor's Office of Lecce.