Mafia: drugs and extortion, 10 arrests in the province of Agrigento
Maxi operation by the Carabinieri between Licata, Palma Montechiaro and Canicattì
Mafia: drugs and extortion, 10 arrests in the province of Agrigento.
The Carabinieri of the provincial command of Agrigento and of the ROS of Palermo carried out the execution 10 precautionary measures issued by the investigating judge of the Palermo court at the request of the DDA.
The anti-mafia operation completed between Licata, Palma di Montechiaro, Canicattì and the entire eastern part of the Agrigento area was called "Condor" and brought to light the members of a mafia-type criminal association dedicated to drug trafficking and to extortion against entrepreneurs.
5 precautionary measures in prison, as well as 4 house arrests and an obligation to stay. The suspects must respond, for various reasons, to mafia-type association, extortion and association aimed at drug trafficking.
23 personal and local searches were also carried out (including 3 in prison) against the recipients of the measures.
The investigations, coordinated by the DDA of Palermo, have made it possible to acquire an investigative compendium on the mafia structures in the area of Favara (AG) and that of Palma di Montechiaro (AG), the latter characterized - as ascertained by definitive sentences - by coexistence of the territorial articulation of Cosa Nostra and named criminal groups “paracchi” on the Stidda model.
In this context, the Carabinieri have collected clues on the attempt of one of the suspects to expand his influence beyond the Palma territory, i.e. on Favara and on the Moses Village of Agrigento and on the role of "guarantor" exercised by the top of the Palma family of Montechiaro in favor of a representative of the Stidda, in the presence of the then regent of the Canicattì district.
Serious evidence has also been acquired against some of the suspects regarding the interference exercised by Cosa Nostra in the lucrative economic sector of transactions for the sale of grapes and the progressive interference in this sector by Stidda. In this context they emerged relations between the top of the Palma di Montechiaro mafia family and the Calabrian 'Ndrina of the Barbaro di Platì.
The investigation also brought to light the illicit control of a large part of the business sector of slot machines and gaming machines installed in commercial premises.
Reproduction reserved © Copyright La Milano