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Lecce, 56-year-old convicted of extortion arrested

Among the victims, also the Mayor of the town, who after receiving the request to deliver 500 euros intended for the families of the prisoners, turned to the Carabinieri to report the extortion attempt.

Lecce, 56-year-old convicted of extortion arrested

The Carabinieri have arrested a 56-year-old criminal seriously suspected of the crimes of extortion and attempted extortion aggravated by mafia methods, against merchants and entrepreneurs in a municipality in the province of Lecce.

Among the victims, also the Mayor of the town, who after receiving the request to deliver 500 euros intended for the families of the prisoners, with great courage turned to the Carabinieri to report the extortion attempt.. The precautionary custody order was issued by the investigating judge of the Court of Lecce, at the request of the local Public Prosecutor's Office.

Fra le vittime, anche il Sindaco del paese, che dopo aver ricevuto la richiesta di consegnare 500 euro destinate alle famiglie dei carcerati, con grande coraggio si è rivolto ai Carabinieri per denunciare il tentativo di estorsione

The investigation by the military began in July of this year, when the Mayor turned to the Carabinieri to report that while he was with other people in a bar in the town, a criminal who was well known to the locals for his violent and aggressive nature had approached him and, just before a festival organized by the Pro Loco in collaboration with the Municipality, had asked him for 500 euros as a "gift" for him and for the families of prisoners in prison.

The mayor had categorically refused that request, which had been addressed to him brazenly in a public place, with simple words, without explicit and dramatic threats, but still capable of instilling fear and awe in the most classic mafia style. Furthermore, the 56-year-old had also upped the ante, revealing to the Mayor his intention to acquire, through the imposition of the "pizzo", control of the cultural events organised by the municipal administration and local associations, including the patronal festival.. At that point the mayor, showing great courage and determination, did not hesitate for a second to report the pressure from the criminal to the Carabinieri.

Fra le vittime, anche il Sindaco del paese, che dopo aver ricevuto la richiesta di consegnare 500 euro destinate alle famiglie dei carcerati, con grande coraggio si è rivolto ai Carabinieri per denunciare il tentativo di estorsione

During the investigation, which was conducted by the men of the Investigative Unit of Lecce with the coordination of the Public Prosecutor's Office of Lecce, numerous people were summoned to the barracks to acquire information on the alleged extortion carried out by the 56-year-old, but unfortunately a desolate panorama of intimidation emerged because many, knowing the criminal depth of the extortionist and fearing retaliation, preferred absolute silence, hindering the ascertainment of the facts.

At the end, the carabinieri investigation showed that the 56-year-old had extorted other local traders, demanding from them the delivery of sums of money ranging from a minimum of 20 to a maximum of 100 euros. In other cases, the man demanded free tickets for various city events, and he also showed up several times a day at bars and shops in the town to drink or make purchases without having money to pay the bill, as if that "practice" were completely normal. One of the most recent episodes confirmed thanks to the Carabinieri investigation occurred in September of this year, when the man showed up at one of the victims to ask for a "pizzo" of one hundred euros, a conversation that the military were able to document and record since the meeting took place under the lens of the video surveillance cameras installed in the shop.

Fra le vittime, anche il Sindaco del paese, che dopo aver ricevuto la richiesta di consegnare 500 euro destinate alle famiglie dei carcerati, con grande coraggio si è rivolto ai Carabinieri per denunciare il tentativo di estorsione

The shopkeeper had been asked for the money with the warning that it was needed to support twenty-one prisoners in prison. The restrictive measure was carried out in the afternoon, when the Carabinieri of the Investigative Nucleus together with their colleagues from the Casarano Company, tracked down and arrested the recipient of the measure while he was out and about in the town.

The alleged extortion crimes are all aggravated by the mafia method. The man was taken to prison and will be questioned by the preliminary investigations judge in the next few hours.

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