Cosenza: 49 people arrested under investigation for drug possession and dealing, attempted murder, personal injury, robbery and extortion.

On July 24, 2024 the Public Prosecutor's Office of Cosenza, with the collaboration of the Carabinieri of the Provincial Command of Cosenza, supported by the branches of the Carabinieri competent for the territory, by the Calabria Hunters Helicopter Squadron, by the 14th Calabria Carabinieri Battalion and by the 8th Carabinieri Helicopter Nucleus of Vibo Valentia, executed a personal precautionary measure order issued by the GIP at the Court of Cosenza.

In respect of the rights of the suspects (to be considered presumed innocent in consideration of the current phase of the proceedings until a definitive finding of guilt with an irrevocable sentence) and in order to guarantee the constitutionally guaranteed right to freedom of the press, we inform you that the precautionary measure concerned 49 individuals held responsible, in various capacities, for possession and dealing of narcotic substances, attempted murder, personal injury, robbery and extortion.
There are 22 recipients of precautionary custody orders in prison, while 27 are recipients of house arrest orders with electronic bracelets.

As part of the execution of the precautionary measure a European arrest warrant has been issued for the search and capture of a suspect resident in a European Union country, with the involvement of the International Cooperation Services of the Judicial Police. Furthermore, it was necessary to resort to the Carabinieri Companies of Teramo, Corsico and Venice-Mestre for the execution of the precautionary measure against three suspects, all located in their respective territories.

The complex investigation activity, started in full lockdown and carried out by the Carabinieri of the Cosenza Centro Station, coordinated by the Public Prosecutor's Office of Cosenza, revealed the availability by the suspects of large quantities of cocaine, heroin, marijuana and hashish, a widespread drug dealing activity carried out in the city of Cosenza and in other cities in the province of Cosenza, also with the help of foreigners who have been operating permanently in the Cosenza area for years, a very high number of consumers of narcotic substances and, finally, over 400 episodes of drug dealing.

In this criminal context, the story of a woman drawn from the precautionary measure of house arrest for having carried out, on several occasions, an activity of supplying narcotic substances in the interest of her son, who was unable at the time of the facts to go to by suppliers as they were subjected to a restrictive measure issued in the context of another criminal proceeding.

During the investigation activity they are were arrested in the act of committing the 1O crime under investigation and various quantities of marijuana, cocaine, heroin and hashish were seized.

In order to document the flourishing drug dealing activity, carried out by the suspects incessantly even during the COVID emergency, the Carabinieri of the Cosenza Centro Station, in addition to listening to over one hundred thousand telephone and environmental conversations, they proceeded to interrogate approximately 300 drug users who, by confirming their respective purchases, supported the accusatory picture that emerged against the recipients of the precautionary measure.

Furthermore, some suspects, also relying on the availability of firearms, also carried out acts of intimidation against their respective "customers" to force them to pay for the narcotics sold.

Finally, the investigative activity revealed two murder attempts carried out in public places, due to disagreements of a personal nature, by subjects armed with knives and other improper weapons.