Riccione: Drug trafficking and robbery, 26 arrests in flagrante delicto and 39 investigated throughout the country

The Carabinieri of the Provincial Command of Rimini have executed an order for the application of precautionary measures, issued by the Preliminary Investigations Judge of the local Court at the request of the Public Prosecutor's Office of Rimini, against 39 suspects held responsible, to varying degrees, for the crimes of robbery, burglary, trafficking, possession and dealing of large quantities of narcotics, cocaine in particular. The measures were carried out not only in the province of Rimini, but also in those of Bologna, Campobasso, Cagliari, Forlì-Cesena, Imperia, Milano, Monza, Parma, Piacenza, Pesaro and Ravenna, with the support of military personnel from the local Provincial Commands, the Anti-Crime Departments of Bologna and Padua, the air component of the 13th Carabinieri Helicopter Unit of Forlì, the Carabinieri Dog Unit of Pesaro and the Local Police of Rimini and Riccione.

the operation, which saw the participation of over 200 Carabinieri, is the epilogue of a complex and articulated investigative activity conducted by the Carabinieri of the Riccione Operations Section, started following a series of residential burglaries committed during the last winter in the Perla Verde and in the surrounding municipalities.

The investigations, to date, have allowed us to trace a series of individuals, all of Albanian nationality but settled in Emilia Romagna who, from time to time, recruited compatriots brought to Italy specifically to commit crimes against property: the accomplices, after a short period, were made to return to their country of origin and replaced with new criminal figures.

In addition to predatory crimes, the suspects were also active in the flourishing narcotics sector, frequently purchased by compatriots belonging to another structure also operating on the Riviera. The latter too, although they were involved in the trade of large quantities of narcotics, However, they were also involved in retail sales and, like the others, in order to evade investigations, they used a rigid turnover of drug dealers for the sales. Despite all the precautions taken, The Carabinieri were nevertheless able to identify the places believed to be the operational bases and thus outline the modus operandi used.

Through constant monitoring of the various targets, the military, since last June, the first confirmations of what had been hypothesized began to be obtained, both with regard to the commission of thefts and the dealing of cocaine. Dozens and dozens of transfers carried out were thus documented, as already mentioned, from young people with no criminal record to local drug addicts, from all social and cultural backgrounds; in more circumstances and for larger quantities, Albanian horses were activated to make home deliveries in the area but also in Cervia (RA), in the north of the Marche (Fano, Pesaro) and in San Marino. The arrests carried out alarmed the group, which, in November, moved its operational base between Cesenatico and Cervia, locations where 3 captures were made today.

The role of the Italian companions of the arrested Albanian citizens was also significant, also recipients of precautionary detention measures: their task was to transport the drugs that they had previously helped to divide into doses, thus confirming their full and conscious participation in the illicit activities. As the investigations continued, the investigative effort focused on the second criminal structure which, as reconstructed by the military, reinvested the illicit proceeds of the thefts in the purchase of large quantities of cocaine. The profitable activity, although firmly rooted in Rimini and Riccione, led those arrested to have relationships with individuals in various European and non-European countries, in particular with individuals in Belgium, Holland and Great Britain.

Among the operating results achieved during the activity, We would like to point out the 30 arrests made in flagrante delicto which led the investigators to the total seizure of 253 kg of cocaine and 40 kg of hashish. In particular, the Carabinieri of Riccione, on 27 September last, in collaboration with the military of the Arma di Milano and Vimercate (MB), in two separate searches carried out at the same time, they seized 203 kg of cocaine. Another hard blow was inflicted in Imola in November, when the intercepted load was over 20 kg, always of the same drug. Other locations where large seizures were made were Termoli (CB) in January, Pesaro in July and November, Cento (FE) and Treviso again last November, despite the fact that the greatest number of captures were made in the Riviera.

Also noteworthy for its importance was the capture, which took place in Piacenza in December of a dangerous fugitive, wanted for crimes against property and the person who, under false personal details, had found refuge in the Emilian city while waiting to move abroad: the 36 year old fell into the investigators' net and was arrested with numerous valuables and over 100 grams of gold. Even the captures made just a few days ago in Rimini, which led to thearrest of four Albanian citizens, seizure of over 750 grams of cocaine, jewels, watches and designer clothes worth tens and tens of thousands of euros and above all the discovery of 6 short firearms (three revolvers and three semi-automatic pistols) and four rifles, represent a significant piece of the investigation which reached its culmination today.

Worth remembering, always due to the relevance of what was found, is the seizure carried out in June in San Donato Milanese, where 36 kilograms of hashish had been stolen from the group. The value of the drugs seized in bulk was calculated by the Carabinieri at over 8 million euros, which in retail, once cut and divided into doses, would have made it to the members of the criminal structure over 25 million euros. The findings made in relation to the Consummated apartment burglaries led to the recovery of large amounts of stolen goods in the ports of Bari, Ancona and Durazzo, results obtained with synergic collaboration also provided by the other national and Albanian police forces operating in the ports, with the assistance of the two Customs Agencies, the Central Directorate for Anti-Drug Services and the contribution of members of the SCIP (Service for International Police Cooperation) located abroad. The value of what was recovered was estimated at over 800.000 euros.

Investigators have also ascertained the alleged responsibilities of 5 individuals in relation to a robbery committed last summer in Riviera: a man, returning home, was approached by two young people who, disguised with balaclavas, They attacked him and stole a valuable watch he was wearing. At the end of complex investigations, the accomplices were identified: a third Albanian citizen and an Italian married couple. The man turned out to be a member of the Carabinieri who served in the province of Rimini, who together with his wife had organised the robbery at a local police station to the detriment of an acquaintance, providing the necessary details on the victim's movements to the accomplices..

The soldier, for the entire duration of the investigations, was carefully monitored by the investigative bodies of the Carabinieri to ensure that he did not engage in new criminal conduct or could take advantage of his position as a member of the police force.. The alleged perpetrators of the crime were all remanded in prison, as were a sixth Albanian citizen who will have to answer for the crime of money laundering, while the woman was placed under house arrest at her home.

In light of the circumstantial evidence reconstructed by the military and the Public Prosecutor's Office of Rimini, the Preliminary Investigations Judge of the Court has ordered theexecution of:

• 26 precautionary measures in prison, at the Penitentiaries of Rimini, Pesaro, Forlì, Ravenna, Bologna, Piacenza, Monza and Larino (CB);
• 3 precautionary measures of house arrest;
• 10 Precautionary Interrogations.

During today's enforcement of the restrictive measures, Two other individuals, one of Albanian nationality and a Moroccan woman, were arrested in flagrante delicto and found in possession of over a kilogram of cocaine. On the occasion the man resisted arrest, causing serious injuries to one of the officers. Another 250 grams of cocaine were also recovered in the areas relevant to one of the objectives covered by the research. Some recipients of the measure who are currently untraceable on the national territory are still wanted abroad.