Caltanissetta, Operation “Albana”: Drug Trafficking Between Germany and Sicily Dismantled, 15 Arrested
There was a complex drug trafficking coming from Germany and headed to Barrafranca, managed by people from Barra who had emigrated to Germany.
Caltanissetta, Operation “Albana”: Drug Trafficking Between Germany and Sicily Dismantled, 15 Arrested
In the early hours of May 22, the Carabinieri of the ROS, assisted in the operational phase by personnel from the Provincial Carabinieri Commands of Enna, Caltanissetta, Catania and Brescia, executed a precautionary custody order issued during the preliminary investigations by the GIP of the Court of Caltanissetta - at the request of the Public Prosecutor's Office District Anti-Mafia Directorate - against 15 people, seriously suspected of criminal conspiracy aimed at the production and trafficking of narcotic substances such as marijuana and hashish aggravated by the availability of weapons.
Among them, three are also under investigation for the crime of fictitiously registering assets in order to evade the legislation on prevention measures, while one of the three is under investigation for a further crime relating to the independent availability of weapons and ammunition.
The precautionary order was also carried out against two other subjects, seriously suspected solely of the crime referred to in the art. 73 Presidential Decree 309/90.
The suspects are all recipients of the precautionary measure in prison, except two subjects, subjected to house arrest with an electronic bracelet.
In the same investigative context, the Public Prosecutor's Office DDA of Caltanissetta has issued search orders to be carried out in Germany through a European Investigation Order against two subjects, resident in Cologne and carried out by the Cologne Criminal Police and BKA with the also presence of ROS personnel as part of an international cooperation launched under the aegis of EUROPOL. The activities were supported by the @ON Network financed by the EU Commission.
The investigation is the natural continuation of the incessant commitment of the Public Prosecutor's Office of Caltanissetta and ROS in the fight against organized and mafia crime in the province of Enna.
In this context, targeted investigations were carried out aimed at discovering the existence of a complex trafficking of narcotic substances coming from Germany and directed to Barrafranca, managed by individuals from Barrafranca who had emigrated to Germany. In this context, on 4 December 2021 the son of one of the suspects in pre-trial detention was arrested in Bavaria coming from Cologne and headed to Sicily, because found in possession of 300 grams of cocaine. In particular, it was highlighted that this son maintained relations with Italy also through the use of encrypted telephone equipment which he had been using before his arrest.
The investigative investigations developed through the police (EUROPOL) and judicial (EUROJUST) cooperation channels revealed a continuing stability of relations between the Barrafranca community living in Cologne, among which also individuals already definitively convicted for mafia association, and Italian subjects involved in drug trafficking.
According to the GIP order, the large wiretapping platform, supported by countless observation, control and shadowing services, provided serious evidence regarding the connection of two of the suspects with prominent positions with elements linked to the Catania organized crime “Ognina-Picanello”.
With the collaboration of a large group of people from Catania and with the complicity of an unsuspected entire family from Barrafranca, a large plantation of Cannabis Indica in a greenhouse, with adjoining refinery, for the production of Marijuana and Hashish, a narcotic which, on November 25, 2022, was discovered and seized together with a large number of clandestine weapons and ammunition.
The contextual and subsequent investigative activities therefore made it possible to outline the existence of a criminal association dedicated to the production, processing and inter-provincial distribution of the narcotic substance, which had the availability of numerous weapons subject to seizure.
In fact, during the investigations, they were found numerous clandestine weapons and ammunition as indicated below:
– n. 1 sawn-off shotgun with modified buttplate 12 gauge, Gamba Royal model brand, with serial number abraded;
– n. 1 Star-Sa brand 9 caliber pistol, Spanish made, with serial number abraded;
– n. 1 unbranded pistol, 9 caliber, with serial number worn off;
– n. 1 Beretta model 70 pistol, 7,65 caliber, with serial number abraded;
– n. 1 Trada brand 38 caliber revolver, with serial number abraded;
– n. 1 Luger model pistol, brand Fab 1516, with serial number abraded;
– n. 1 Winchester 22 caliber RL model 250 carbine with serial number no. 207026815, not registered in the FF.P. database;
– n. 1 German-made Diana brand compressed air rifle, model F134T05 Classic, caliber 4,5 and serial number no. 01435201;
– n. 3143 various caliber cartridges;
– large quantity of cartridge cases, bullets and gunpowder with other material for the packaging of ammunition of various calibres.
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