Vicenza: Almost 12 thousand doses of drugs seized in one year of activity by the local police

It's time to take stock of the Judicial Police Operations Sector of the Vicenza Local Police. After a year of intense work and rich results, at the command of the street Soccorso Soccorsetto, the mayor of Vicenza Giacomo Possamai, together with the commander Massimo Parolin, the commissioner Guido Guglielmi and the deputy commissioner Alessandro De Franciscis, has a report was presented with all the activities carried out respectively by the Nos (special operations unit), the canine unit and the anti-degradation squad during 2024.

«The theme of urban security is central to the municipal administration and the numbers we are presenting today are proof of this. – the words of the Mayor Possamai -. The valuable work carried out during 2024, in synergy, by the Nos and the local police anti-degradation squad has in fact produced concrete and tangible results.i: just think about the clear decrease in the problem of bivouacs on the streets in the historic center, which in the last two years have gone from 30 to less than 10. Fundamental then is the fight, not only made of repression but also of prevention, against the odious phenomenon of micro-dealing by the agents, thanks also to the reports of the citizens. The aim is therefore to continue on this path, against urban decay and in favour of an increasingly safer Vicenza. This is also an opportunity to thank the local police of Vicenza for the work they do every day to serve our city."

The Nos

The Nos Unit (Special Operations Unit), directed and coordinated by Deputy Commissioner Alessandro De Franciscis, carried out 200 drug checks. The activity of contrasting drug dealing on the street has brought the following results: approximately 400 people identified, most of them foreign, of which over 200 burdened by criminal prejudices mainly relating to the crime of drug dealing; 48 people subjected to photodactyloscopic tests (fingerprints, front and side photo); 25 people reported to the judicial authorities for various crimes other than drug-related crimes.

There were 137 successful operations aimed at combating drug dealing and use which in turn led to important results: 36 people reported to the judicial authority for the alleged crime of dealing and/or possession for the purpose of dealing of narcotic substances; 13 people arrested red-handed for the crime of dealing and/or possession for the purpose of drug dealing; approximately 11.460 doses of narcotic substance seized between marijuana, heroin, cocaine and hashish; more than 14.400 euros in cash seized because they are considered to be the proceeds of illicit drug dealing; 126 people reported to the Prefect for possession of narcotic substances; 96 searches on the initiative carried out on a person or in an apartment, with a positive response on 63 of these, 1 bladed weapon seized during checks on individuals who habitually frequent the city's green areas; 25 interventions in which assistance was provided to other police forces; finally, 4 people arrested for other types of crimes other than drugs.

The use of video surveillance cameras supplied to the command was fundamental in approximately 100 interventions. Between these, 40 targeted interventions to the fight against drug dealing which allowed the individuals involved in drug dealing to be identified and arrested red-handed; 30 occasions where it was possible to provide other state police forces, and the internal judicial police sector, with frames useful for their investigations; 21 road accident image recoveries; several cases in which they have facilitated the identification and detection of perpetrators of certain predatory crimes and damage to public and private structures.

The Nos agents, through a long work of stakeouts and checks, also managed to identify several drug dealers who operated inside their homes, also thanks to the reports received regarding suspicious movements in private apartments. The unit's office then managed more than 850 emails and approximately 1100 certified emails concerning documents sent by the secretariats of the Public Prosecutors on duty, the Police Headquarters and other police forces relating to the operations carried out. There were approximately 300 reports or complaints, via certified email or e-mail, received by the unit from citizens, to which an individual response was given through direct contact with the reporter and with appropriate checks on the territory.

Finally, in 2024, the active collaboration with the Upgsp (general prevention and public rescue office) of the Police Headquarters continued., with the carabinieri, Withthe Narcotics Counter Sector of the Guardia di Finanza (Pef Unit) and the Mobile Unit of the Guardia di Finanza itself.

The Canine Unit

Over the past year, the Canine Unit has been essential for the interventions carried out independently, as well as providing indispensable support to the Nos personnel and, collectively, to the other state police forces in the fight against drug dealing. The unit has also been used in numerous checks in places where young people gather, in green areas and in front of schools, not only with the purpose of repression, but also with the aim of preventing the presence of people involved in drug dealing in collaboration, in the last period, also with the neighbourhood surveillance sector. In 2024, the Canine Unit was employed in 65 prevention services and supported the Nos in 35 interventions.

The Anti-Degradation Team

Directed and coordinated by Commissioner Guido Guglielmi, the Anti-Degradation Squad is made up of about ten agents. In 2024, the team carried out numerous prevention and repression activities for situations of degradation reported by citizens. The officers intervened, putting their physical safety at risk, in several critical situations that sometimes led to the arrest or detention of dangerous individuals. In addition to the morning passage in known bivouac places used by homeless people and the control of the territory, the anti-degradation patrols actively collaborated with the personnel of the Nos Unit both in the identification of people and in particular and complex operations. Furthermore, there was no shortage of support to other state police forces in high-impact operations aimed at protecting urban security.

2024 ended with more than 15.000 checks aimed at contrasting and preventing critical situations in the territory, in favor of urban safety. The constant presence of anti-degradation patrols in the territory, in collaboration with the Nos staff, social services and street units, has ensured that numerous homeless people have accepted hospitality in some of the structures made available by the Municipality: also thanks to this, Since 2023, there has been a decrease in the presence of homeless people in the area. From around thirty homeless people who were stationed in the historic center in the period 2021/2022, we have in fact gone down to a current presence of less than ten. Currently, the anti-degradation patrols manage approximately 30 checks per day relating to damage, waste, bivouacs, beggars, panhandlers and drug addicts.