Cosenza, Operation Reset: 142 investigated for 'ndrangheta-type association

In the early hours of May 14, in Cosenza and in other centers of the national territory, the Carabinieri of the Provincial Command of Cosenza, the State Police through the personnel of the Mobile Squads of Cosenza and Catanzaro, of the SISCO of Catanzaro and of the SCO, the Financiers of the Economic-Financial Police Unit of Cosenza, with the GICO of the Economic-Financial Police Unit of Catanzaro and the SCICO of Rome, with the coordination of the Public Prosecutor's Office - District Anti-Mafia Directorate of Catanzaro, executed the precautionary order, issued by the GIP at the Court of Catanzaro, against 142 investigated, based on withholding tax existence of serious indications in relation to the crimes, in various ways hypothesized, against them, including, respectively, 'Ndrangheta type association, criminal association aimed at drug trafficking, aggravated by mafia methods and purposes, as well as in relation to numerous other crimes, even aggravated by mafia methods and purposes.

The provision, issued at the request of the Public Prosecutor's Office - District Anti-Mafia Directorate of Catanzaro, arises from the extensive investigative activity coordinated by the DDA of Catanzaro and delegated, in consideration of the multiple investigative profiles, to the Carabinieri of the Provincial Command of Cosenza, to the Mobile Squads of the Police Headquarters of Cosenza and Catanzaro, to the SISCO of Catanzaro and to the SCO, to the Financiers of the Economic-Financial Police Unit of Cosenza, with the GICO of the Economic-Financial Police Unit of Catanzaro and the SCICO of Rome.

The investigations, which constituted the continuation of those completed within theso-called “Reset” operation, have developed through an impressive traditional type of investigation activity, consisting of technical activities, services in the area, "in the field" findings, with a parallel powerful activity of acquisition and analysis of declarations from numerous justice collaborators, corroborated by the relevant findings, in addition to the acquisition of multiple emergencies of other criminal proceedings.

The circumstantial gravity, achieved, at present, on a precautionary level, through the articulated and complex investigative insights, concerned the continuation of the operations of criminal organizations in the Cosenza area.

In particular, these are serious circumstantial elements the continuation of the structure of the 'ndrangheta criminal organisation of Cosenza and its hinterland, divided into several organically confederated groups, and all attributable to a top structure, specifically attributable to the two main groups, the so-called. Italian clan, in its various components, and the cd. gypsy clan, also with various articulations, in the structure that was redetermined following the complex and fluctuating relational dynamics between them, as well as the numerous legal events, with the related different outcomes, which affected them.

In this context, in the precautionary order, against the suspects drawn from the respective measures adopted, the circumstantial gravity was considered, among other things, for multiple extortion incidents, aggravated by mafia methods and purposes, against the owners of commercial establishments and entrepreneurial activities.

The circumstantial gravity acquired at a precautionary level also concerned the parallel association, operating under the aegis and in the context of the same 'Ndrangheta clique, dedicated to trafficking of various types of narcotic substances, within the framework of what is hypothesized as the system that governs all the relationships between the various criminal subgroups of the city of Cosenza and its hinterland, as well as numerous crimes relating to trafficking and widespread dealing of various types of narcotic substances, cocaine, heroin, marijuana hashish, extortion, attempted and committed, connected to the trafficking of narcotic substances, aggravated personal injuries, and crimes relating to weapons, including with aggravating mafia crime, as well as attempted and committed theft crimes.

Specifically, the investigations made it possible to reconstruct, in terms of circumstantial gravity, the structure of the association dedicated to drug trafficking, and attributable to the 'Ndrangheta clan operating in the Brutio capital, as well as the lines of action, characterized by the pre-ordained distribution of the drug dealing areas , from the preventive establishment at the top level of the supply channels, from the commission of further crimes aimed at finding money to reinvest in drug trafficking and/or the recovery of credits accrued from drug dealing, and, finally, from the obligation incumbent on all associates to pay the proceeds of crimes into the single common fund for the entire organization.

Of the 142 suspects, no. 109 were the recipients of precautionary custody in prison, no. 20 of that of house arrest, nr. 12 of the residence obligation, nr. 1 of interdictory measure.

The proceeding for the alleged offenses is currently in the preliminary investigation stage.