Lecco: He held weapons, drugs and explosives, 45-year-old arrested

In Veglie and Salice Salentino, by order of the Police Commissioner of the province of Lecce, the agents of the Flying Squad, with the help of the Crime Prevention departments, have carried out some targeted “High Impact” services aimed at combating the spread of narcotic substances as well as predatory crimes.

On this occasion they were controls arranged against criminals and individuals subject to prevention and security measures.
Several checkpoints were also carried out on the main roads of the two Lecce municipalities and checks were carried out at recreational clubs and places habitually frequented by individuals involved in criminal activities.

The operational activity led to:
• 41 vehicles checked, high administrative fines for violations of the highway code including driving without a license or without insurance;
• 9 commercial activities subjected to checks;
• 211 people identified, including several criminals.

It is in this context that the agents of the Anti-drug Section, have 79 man stopped, with a minor criminal record, driving a van which, during the check, he had a butterfly knife with him. Not only that, the investigations immediately carried out on the vehicle on board which the man was travelling allowed the discovery of a “diver” type knife.

On the basis of these elements, given the illegal and unjustified carrying of the instruments in question, a more serious thorough search which allowed agents to find other illegal material. In fact the man, with little precedent, had with him almost half a kilo of cocaine, a pistol with the serial number erased ready for use equipped with the relevant ammunition, additional “jacketed” cartridges and two paper bombs, with a total weight of almost 400 grams. To sum up the accusatory picture, the suspect, who does not carry out work activities, had with him the sum of €2.500.

On these premises a crisis was triggered in Salice Salentino'further house search in a house used by the subject where the investigators found a vacuum machine equipped with special bags, completely similar to those used to package the cocaine found in the van, as well as a radio frequency instrument for detecting bugs, hidden cameras and GPS locators.

The flagrant commission of the crimes of possession of narcotics for the purpose of dealing, carrying of clandestine weapons, carrying of instruments capable of causing harm and possession of war ammunition and possession of explosive material, the man was taken to the police station for the routine checks and, at the end of the consequent formalities, he was arrested and then transferred to the local prison, at the disposal of the Judicial Authority.

It should be noted that the investigative findings are in the preliminary investigation phase, awaiting judicial scrutiny during the trial, in cross-examination with the defense.