Caltanissetta. Operation “LUA MATER”: 13 individuals arrested for mafia-style criminal association and illegal possession of war weapons
The State Police executed two Orders for the application of precautionary measures issued by the GIP of Caltanissetta against members of the Pietraperzia and Regalbuto mafia families. During the investigations, coordinated by the DDA of Nissena, two impressive arsenals ready for use were seized from Cosa Nostra.
Caltanissetta. Operation “LUA MATER”: 13 individuals arrested for mafia-style criminal association and illegal possession of war weapons, clandestine weapons and common firearms.
This morning, at the culmination of two separate investigations led by the District Anti-Mafia Directorate of the Caltanissetta Prosecutor's Office, the State Police followed up on the vast operation “LUA MATER”, executing two precautionary custody orders issued by the GIP of Caltanissetta against a total of 13 individuals variously accused of the crimes of mafia-style criminal association, aggravated aiding and abetting, illegal possession and carrying of war weapons, clandestine weapons and common firearms.
During the investigations, coordinated by the Central Operations Service, the SISCO of Caltanissetta, the Flying Squad of Enna and the Leonforte Police Station, they found two impressive arsenals, seizing, in total, 3 assault rifles -Kalashnikov-, 8 machine guns, and 9 pistols, as well as the related ammunition; arsenals that would have been ready for use and directly available to members of the mafia organization.
THE INVESTIGATIONS
An initial investigation, directed by the DDA of the Caltanissetta Public Prosecutor's Office, conducted by the SISCO of Caltanissetta and addressed against the Pietraperzia mafia family, has allowed the seizure, with the Enna Flying Squad, of a considerable part of the aforementioned arsenal and of identify the individuals suspected of having taken care of its maintenance and custody on behalf of the Cosa Nostra branches operating in Pietraperzia itself and in Barrafranca.
Le interception carried out against BL, a subject already convicted of mafia association, as he was considered to be a member of the Pietrapezia mafia family in the context of Operation Primavera, have revealed how he, in his rural home, could have been in possession of several weapons, which he presumably took care of maintaining with the help of his son BF.
In light of this circumstance, BL's extensive property was subjected to an initial search, which was partially unsuccessful as it only allowed the recovery of a few 12-gauge cartridges and some rifle parts.
This activity, however, triggered a series of events that ultimately culminated in the discovery of the arsenal. And in fact, fearing a new and more pervasive search, the suspects allegedly used one of their supporters to dig up, by means of an excavator driven by the latter, some plastic bags which were located on the land of the aforementioned property; therefore, said bags, after a series of temporary moves, would have been definitively buried in a different land not far from theirs; all at night and without the knowledge of the owner of the land.
Reconstructing this last move, also through multiple cameras equipped with thermal imaging, the operating personnel were able to identify the exact point where the bags had been buried, which, recovered through a timely search, they contained 6 pistols, 5 rifles, 1 Kalashnikov and 1 machine gun, as well as more than 1.000 bullets, both common and military, of various calibers.
The GIP of Caltanissetta, at the request of the DDA of the Caltanissetta Public Prosecutor's Office, considered the existence of a serious circumstantial framework in relation to the organic connection to Cosa Nostra, the Pietraperzia mafia family, of BL, his wife FG and his son BF, as well as of the Barrese AAD, who could presumably count on a group of individuals who, being at their disposal, they would have assisted him during the repeated movements of the arsenal and would have helped them evade investigations against them, both by seizing a car and by making false statements to investigators.
A further investigation, conducted by the Enna Flying Squad and the Leonforte Police Station, coordinated by the District Anti-Mafia Directorate of the Caltanissetta Prosecutor's Office, has allowed us to collect serious circumstantial evidence regarding the reorganisation of the Regalbutese branch of the Cosa Nostra family from Enna, by the convicted mafioso APA, already sentenced with a final sentence in the “Go Kart” operation.
During the investigation, in the warehouse of a bar located in the central square of Regalbuto, a an arsenal of war weapons and common weapons was found and seized, which the owner of the bar, APF, arrested red-handed on 1 March 2024, cousin of the aforementioned APA, allegedly held on behalf of the mafia organisation.
In particular, during a targeted search, carried out by personnel from the Enna Flying Squad and the Judicial Police Team of the Leonforte Police Station, 1 Kalashnikov, 3 rifles, 2 semi-automatic pistols and 1 revolver were found, with related war ammunition, as well as more than 250 rounds of ammunition, both common and war, of different calibres.
The impressive arsenal provides a clear indication of the dangerousness of the mafia gang that had it at its disposal and that although traditionally part of the mafia province of Enna, according to the serious evidence acquired during the investigations, it appears to maintain very close collaborative relations with the Santapaola clan of Catania and in particular with exponents of clan branches operating in the Catania hinterland.
It is significant that even after the seizure, which occurred last March, significant incriminating elements emerged from the investigative activity. an effort to reconstitute as much of the lost arsenal as possible, with a feverish search for weapons.
According to the serious circumstantial evidence included in the custody order, APA, once he was released after serving the sentence imposed on him for the previous conviction for mafia association, he tried to rebuild the associative relationships, re-proposing himself as a contact for Cosa Nostra in Regalbuto, both within the province of Enna and outside, with particular reference to the province of Catania.
During the investigation, numerous events were reconstructed that were indicative of the mafia control that APA would have exercised as an affiliate of the Cosa Nostra organization, the reference point for the Regalbuto area.
Symptomatic of the control of the territory is, for example, the regulatory activity, traditionally mafia-like, of private disputes, which APA systematically exercised. In fact, serious evidence was acquired regarding his intervention following the request of a person who believed himself to be the victim of "bullying" by a neighbor; or, his intervention in the context of disputes arising from illicit business, such as when he was allegedly called upon to take an interest, at the request of individuals affiliated with the Santapaola clan, in the recovery of a debt related to the sale of narcotic substances, to a person from Regalbuto.
Prompted by the victims of the thefts, he would have successfully intervened both for the Mitsubishi Pajero car recovery both for the recovery of a van, both stolen in Regalbuto (in the second case upon payment of a ransom).
APA would also have tracked down a subject considered responsible for having sold drugs and Regalbuto, without his "authorization", and would have beaten him repeatedly, without the latter, although apparently more athletic and younger, reacting in any way; the conduct is symptomatic of a mafia role, which involves the power to control the illicit activities carried out on its territory, allowing them or not.
Serious evidence was also acquired that during a sheep theft the victim had asked for help from APA, which had actually identified the alleged perpetrator.
Therefore the two subjects, charged by APA, would have been responsible for a punitive expedition against the alleged perpetrator of the theft, beating him severely and stealing a moped from him, thus committing the crime of robbery. The moped was then returned on the orders of the same APA: in fact, the latter's purpose in inflicting the punishment would also have been to verify whether the alleged perpetrator of the theft was supported by individuals who could defend him, calling into question his criminal leadership in Regalbuto.
With regard to the charge of extortion, during 2023 and 2024, serious evidence was acquired regarding APA's intervention in the purchase at public auction of an apartment, previously owned by CG - a person close to him, as shown by the interception, who would have made himself available to communicate with members of the Catania clans and to organize meetings.
In particular, APA intervenes in the affair, according to the reconstruction of the DDA included in the custody order, by ordering the buyer at the auction of the property, already owned by CG, to pay a sum of money in its favor for the purchase, by the latter, of another home in which to go and live, thus subordinating the possibility of the legitimate buyer to take possession of the apartment.
Further incriminating elements were acquired in relation to a series of contacts and meetings aimed at organising a drug trafficking ring involving members of the 'Ntrangheta.
THE STATE POLICE DEVICE
There are approximately 180 State Police officers who, from the first light of dawn, followed up on the aforementioned precautionary measures, searching the suspects and the places at their disposal in order to find further weapons.
At the same time, as part of a pervasive control activity also aimed at finding weapons and ammunition, searches were carried out nr. 8 further searches against the same number of subjects burdened by specific precedents or in any case suspected of having the availability.
In addition to the aforementioned Offices, the complex activity of the Judicial Police involved operators from the Flying Squads of Palermo, Catania, Ragusa, Agrigento, the SISCOs of Palermo, Catania, Messina and Trento, the Flight Unit of Palermo, the Crime Prevention Units of Palermo and Catania, the Flying Unit of Catania, the Provincial Scientific Police Office of Enna and the Regional Scientific Police Office of Catania. Additionally, the Dog Units from the Palermo Police Headquarters and the Catania Police Headquarters, as well as the Border Police of Catania, were used.
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