Molfetta, anti-drug: 18 arrests, drug dealing square closed which had its hands on the entire Province

Molfetta (Bari), last night, around 100 carabinieri from the Bari Provincial Command were employed in an anti-drug operation in the municipalities of Palo del Colle, Modugno, Bitonto, Corato, Bisceglie, Trani and Ruvo di Puglia.

A total of 19 subjects were reached by a precautionary custody order (9 in prison, 9 under house arrest and 1 residence ban), issued by the Court of Bari - GIP Section, at the request of the Public Prosecutor's Office of the Apulian capital, as they were subjected to investigations for drug possession and dealing. During the operation Dozens of house searches were carried out in search of drugs with the support of dog units from Modugno, the Hunters of the Puglia Helicopter Squadron and personnel from the Operational Intervention Sections of the 11th Puglia Regiment.

The GIP of the Court of Bari, after evaluating the findings collected by the Carabinieri of the Molfetta Company, accepted the requests of the Public Prosecutor, who directed and coordinated the investigations, and, without prejudice to the ascertainment of the responsibilities of each individual for the outcome of the subsequent judgment, with today's provision, recognized the existence of serious indications of guilt on the part of the recipients for the crimes of "possession and dealing of narcotic substances, with the aggravating circumstance of the large quantity".

The investigations, conducted in the first half of 2020, during the lock down period ordered by the Government to deal with the first phase of the pandemic emergency, brought to light the existence of a substantial drug dealing activity with a logistical base in the municipality of Palo del Colle. The illicit trafficking involved all types of narcotics, with a certain predilection for heroin, called "the black one" in the cryptic jargon used by dealers and buyers during the intercepted conversations. At the center of the investigations are two cousins ​​of the same name, aged 29 and 27 respectively, residing in Palo del Colle, alleged protagonists of drug trafficking intended, on the one hand, to satisfy the purchasing needs for personal consumption of a large group of drug users Palo del Colle and neighboring towns; on the other hand, to feed the retail supply chain in other municipalities in the region (such as Modugno, Bisceglie, Corato and Ruvo di Puglia) by other recipients of today's provision. A dual level of operation therefore, with the narcotic, of a heterogeneous nature, which was sold both in considerable quantities (even in "whole pieces" of several tens of grams) to other subjects, living in other municipalities who, in turn, distributed retail in their territories, both "retail", in their own drug dealing centers in Palo del Colle and nearby municipalities, making permanent use of the collaboration of other people - all arrested - who were entrusted with the task of guarding the sites, according to a daily shift that saw them active in the first part of the day and from five in the afternoon until late in the evening. There are countless incidents of drug dealing monitored, with users who, regardless of the Covid restrictions, came to Palo del Colle to obtain supplies of the narcotic. The documented sales took place near highly frequented areas, such as the railway station, the cemetery and the municipal park, as well as near commercial establishments. Among the places used as a base for dealing, as well as, in some cases, for the storage of the narcotic, also the headquarters of a charitable association in the town of Palo del Colle, where many of the suspects used to stay to plan, according to the investigators, their illicit trafficking.

During the period of the "field" investigations, fifteen people were arrested red-handed and another five were reported at liberty for detention for the purpose of drug dealing. The investigative activity was documented with observation services, shadowing and countless telephone interceptions which made it possible, in just three months, to document almost seven thousand sales of illicit substances in favor of around 150 buyers, considering only the habitual ones, as well as seizing more of one kilo and seven hundred grams of "heroin", twenty-four grams of "cocaine", approximately one kilo and three hundred grams of "marijuana", as well as the sum of two thousand and 470 euros. The investigations reveal the alarming observation of a massive return to heroin consumption, made particularly attractive by the significantly lower price compared to that of other substances such as cocaine.

Today's operation, which is part of a complex of activities coordinated by the Public Prosecutor's Office of Bari and which concern drug trafficking throughout the entire territory of competence, has dealt a severe blow to those who the investigators believe to be the local representatives who, with ease, they would have created in Palo del Colle a drug dealing place so flourishing as to attract not only local consumers, but also those from neighboring municipalities, aware of the ease of supply of all types of illicit substances.

It is important to underline that the proceeding is in the preliminary investigation phase and that, following the execution of today's precautionary measure, there will be the guarantee interrogation and the discussion with the defense of the suspects, whose possible guilt, in relation to the contested crimes, must be ascertained during the trial in the cross-examination between the parties.