Desenzano del Garda, “Monterosa 2020” operation: extortion, robberies and drug dealing, 24 people involved

Desenzano del Garda (Brescia), in the early hours of the morning, in the provinces of Brescia, Milano and Mantua, the carabinieri of the Company of Desenzano del Garda (BS), together with personnel from the Provincial Command of Brescia and the commands of the provinces involved, have executed a personal and patrimonial precautionary order, issued by the GIP of Brescia on request of the Public Prosecutor of the local Public Prosecutor's Office, Dr. Benedetta CALLEA – Deputy Prosecutor, who agreed with the solid circumstantial framework collected by the Operational Unit of Desenzano del Garda which conducted the investigations with the Bedizzole Station.

The provision was carried out against 24 people, seriously suspected of multiple episodes of extortion, robberies, crimes against property, possession and dealing of narcotic substances, arson, injuries and further related crimes.

In detail, the aforementioned measure consisted of:

• 15 OCCs in prison (12 of which were executed, as 3 recipients were untraceable as they were probably abroad);
• 1 Arrest order and submission to AA.DD.;
• 3 mandatory residence orders;
• 4 provisions requiring daily reporting to the PG;
• 1 ban on approaching places frequented by the police;
• 1 preventive seizure for an amount of approximately 23 thousand euros.

The investigation, called "MONTEROSA 2020", originates from some episodes of robbery, extortion and arson of cars, which occurred between the summer of 2019 and the first months of 2020, in the territories of Bedizzole and Calcinato, on which the Carabinieri of Desenzano of the Garda, thanks also to the complaints filed by the victims, started intense and timely investigations.

In particular, the investigations have made it possible to collect numerous indications of guilt against the recipients of the measures, a group of Italian and foreign criminals active in the aforementioned territories, alleged perpetrators of numerous and brutal crimes against the person, in particular violent extortion aimed at recovery of credits contracted for the purchase of narcotics, and assets such as thefts within schools and tobacconists.

Furthermore, it was ascertained that some of the aforementioned had independently started a thriving business of dealing in significant quantities of narcotic substances such as cocaine, hashish and marijuana. Furthermore, the criminal conduct took place in an absolutely unscrupulous manner and did not experience any setbacks or regression even during the lockdown periods.

During the searches, 1,42 kilos of cocaine, 119 grams of hashish and 13,4 kilos of marijuana were found, for which 12 people were arrested in flagrante delicto (of which 9 had already received precautionary measures) and 2 others were released into a state of freedom (of which 1 was already the recipient of a precautionary measure).

Finally, patrimonial measures were carried out against 4 individuals, among those arrested today, consisting of the preventive seizure for the purposes of subsequent confiscation, of cash for an amount of approximately 23 thousand euros, believed to be proceeds from drug dealing activities.