Operation “Agorà”: political-mafia electoral exchange, extortion, possession of weapons and drugs. 12 people suspected of being organizers and affiliates of the Clan arrestedNardo”.

The Carabinieri of the Investigative Unit of the Provincial Command of Syracuse have carried out a precautionary custody order against 12 people (10 in prison and 2 under house arrest) issued by the GIP of the Court of Catania, directed against themafia-type association called clan "Nardo"operating in the northern area of ​​the Aretusea province and considered an offshoot of the Cosa Nostra family from Catania"Santapaola Herculaneum".

THE INVESTIGATIONS

The Carabinieri of the Investigative Unit of Syracuse, at the end of a complex investigation activity that began in December 2021, have revealed a circumstantial framework against 12 people seriously suspected of being organizers and affiliates of the Clan "Nardo” who, making use of the power of intimidation deriving from the associative bond and the condition of subjection and of omerta resulting from it, they managed to acquire, directly and indirectly, the data management; or at least the control of numerous economic and entrepreneurial activities, mainly in the agro-pastoral sector, in the northern area of ​​the Syracuse province.

THE CRIMINAL SYSTEM

Political/mafia electoral exchange, extortion, possession of weapons and drugs, introduction of telephone devices into prison, are just some of the charges brought against the suspects who, even after the recent “Agorà” operation, completed by the same soldiers of the Provincial Command of Syracuse, they quickly reorganized and the clan's operations resumed with the usual modus operandi, threatening, even from inside the penal institutions - illicitly using mobile phones - anyone who turned to the police to report anextortion or a threat suffered, hiding weapons with high offensive potential, selling narcotics such as cocaine and marijuana - even managing a thriving plantation made up of 731 plants.

Le weapons, two rifles and a pistol, and lo amazing, approximately 11 kg of marijuana and cocaine were seized by the Carabinieri during the investigation phase.

THE “NARDO” CLAN

In detail, the investigation activity, conducted with traditional methodology and supported by innovative technical instruments, made it possible to outline the organizational chart, roles and tasks of the mafia association of the "Nardo" clan, reconstruct multiple episodes of extortion committed by the associates who , through threat and using the force of intimidation, would have forced several agricultural entrepreneurs or commercial operators to provide sums of money or food without compensation, pay a "guard" service for their agricultural land, on which they would also have been forced to tolerate the grazing of livestock attributable to the associates, suffer the so-called “return horse” for the return of excavators and other stolen vehicles.

THE POLITICAL/MAFIOUS EXCHANGE

Finally, of particular relevance is the crime of political/mafia electoral exchange also contested against a mayoral candidate in the last local elections in 2022 who allegedly accepted the promise of obtaining votes in exchange for money and a commitment to work to facilitate the release of the son of an affiliate.