Illicit waste trafficking and corruption: the NOE Carabinieri of Naples arrest 12 people

On 28 May 2024, in the provinces of Naples, Avellino, Benevento and Salerno, the Carabinieri of the Environmental Protection and Energy Safety Group of Naples, together with the Carabinieri of the territorially competent Provincial Commands, executed an ordinance of precautionary custody of 12 individuals, held responsible in various capacities for criminal association aimed at the illicit trafficking of waste, aggravated theft to the detriment of the Metropolitan City of Naples and corruption.

The precautionary order issued by the GIP of the Court of Naples in full acceptance of the request filed by the Public Prosecutor refers to a series of illicit conducts found during the investigative activity carried out by the Carabinieri of the NOE of Naples which lasted for approximately six months and was coordinated by the District Anti-Mafia Directorate of Naples - Specialized Group on Waste Trafficking.

The investigation, also conducted with the aid of technical activities such as wiretaps of conversations, video recordings and stalking, originated in January 2023 following reports from SAPNA. spa, a company wholly owned by the metropolitan city of Naples which manages the integrated cycle of solid urban waste in the metropolitan area of ​​the Campania capital, regarding anomalies in the treatment of waste within the Tufino plant, in which types of waste of industrial origin and therefore unrelated to the urban waste collection cycle were disposed of.

During the investigations, the Special Department of the Carabinieri ascertained the existence of a association involving various professional figures including the administrators of some special waste companies in the provinces of Naples and Salerno, drivers of vehicles used for the collection of urban waste and some unfaithful employees of the Tufino plant, who had organised, down to the smallest detail, a complex "modus operandi" which allowed them to illicitly dispose of special waste, of industrial origin, in the public plant, at the expense of the public body.

The actions of the suspects were now consolidated: the drivers of the two companies, awarded contracts for the collection of urban waste in some Vesuvian towns, acted as intermediaries between the producers of special waste and the workers responsible for waste management within of the STIR, in the management of illicit traffic, aimed at the need of private individuals to illicitly dispose of their waste, achieving significant savings in economic terms, on the other hand, it allowed public employees to pocket fragrant bribes, in exchange for the service rendered.

The role of the Tufino TMB workers is essential, perfectly organized to bypass the rigid control system envisaged by SAPNA., and allow the drivers of the vehicles to operate undisturbed and unload the waste illegally. An entire team provided their shifts to external accomplices, who then planned the illegal dumping in complete tranquility, certain of the compliance of all the members of that shift, paid by the team leader, each in proportion to the contribution provided.

In order to further increase the illicit profits, some of the suspects, both STIR employees and drivers, after having carried out the illicit disposals, completed their illicit collaboration by making themselves protagonists of the theft of the iron coils, worth around 20.000 euros, used in the Tufino plant to package waste, hiding them inside the self-compactors themselves.

During the activity they were Illicit disposal of over 1.000 tonnes of special waste was confirmed which resulted in an increase in costs for SAPNA. for approximately 500.000,00 euros, in addition to the damage often caused to the plant by the spillage of waste, including ferrous waste, which blocked the treatment cycle of the public plant for long periods.

In the same investigative context, the military forces seized the two private companies producing industrial waste.

The measure carried out is a precautionary measure, ordered during preliminary investigations, against which appeals are permitted, and the recipients of the same are people subjected to investigations and therefore presumed innocent until a final sentence is reached.