Milano: arrests and imprisonment for the members of a criminal association aimed at drug trafficking

Milano: arrests and imprisonment for the members of a criminal association aimed at drug trafficking.

Il June 27, 2023, Cinisello Balsamo (MI), Dalmine (BG), Muggiò (MB), Giussano (MB), Cesano Maderno (MB), Carate Brianza (MB) and Alicante (Spain), the Carabinieri of the Provincial Command of Milano have implemented an application order of personal precautionary measures (9 in prison, 3 under house arrest and 3 under residence obligations) issued by the GIP of the Court of Milano, at the request of the local DDA, against 15 people (12 Italians, including 1 woman, 1 Ecuadorian, 1 Gambian and 1 Albanian), held responsible for criminal conspiracy aimed at international drug trafficking (art. 74 Presidential Decree 309/90).

Il measure arises from the results of a detailed analysis investigative activity conducted by the Sesto San Giovanni Company from May 2020 to December 2022, which allowed for prove the existence of a criminal association dedicated to the international trafficking of hashish and marijuana, purchased and imported, by road transport, from Spain to Italy and subsequently resold in the provinces of Milano, Monza Brianza, Bergamo and Cremona.

Le investigations, developed with traditional investigative methodologies and technical activities, have made use of international cooperation channels activated through the issuing of a European investigation order. It was like this, outlined the operations of a well-structured criminal group, dedicated to a thriving business of importing and dealing drugs, which, by communicating with the Encrochat and SkyECC platforms, made use of of the work of one of the associates in Spain, in the Alicante region, who was responsible for managing contacts with drug suppliers. An apartment was also identified in the province of Milano; a garage and an industrial warehouse, in Brianza, used by the suspects as places to store the narcotic.

In course of the investigations were 11 episodes of importation and 30 sales of drugs intended for retail sale were reconstructed. They were arrested, in flagrante delicto, 7 subjects belonging to the association and seize 337 kg of marijuana, 7 kg of hashish and 57.700 euros in cash. The proceeds of the illicit activity were then reinvested by the organization for subsequent supplies of narcotics and in the purchase of properties, cars and luxury watches. At the same time as the execution of the precautionary measures, the Carabinieri seized two properties - in Cinisello Balsamo and Lissone - and two cars, with an estimated value of approximately 750 thousand euros, purchased with the proceeds deriving from the drug dealing activity.