A new blow to the Arena gang of Isola Capo Rizzuto and to the connected ones of the Manfredi, the Gentile and the Nicoscia. This is the one given by the Carabinieri with the operation called “Libeccio” which this morning led to the execution of 19 precautionary measures, 18 of which were in prison and one under house arrest. The order, issued by the district investigating judge of Catanzaro at the request of the anti-mafia prosecutor’s office, was notified to five people in the prisons where they are already confined for other reasons: Tolmezzo (Udine), Spoleto (Perugia), Cassino (Frosinone), Naples Secondigliano and Catanzaro Siano.
The charges charged in various capacities against the 19 suspects range from mafia association to extortion, improper robbery, drug crimes aggravated by the mafia method and undue access to communication devices by prisoners. The carabinieri of the operational department and those of the company of the provincial command of Crotone, in collaboration with the anti-crime department of the ROS of Catanzaro, in addition to the precautionary measures, also carried out 19 search decrees. The investigations, which developed between January 2024 and July 2025 through observation, shadowing and control activities, telephone and environmental interceptions and with computer “virus” interceptors, also made use of the declarations made by 11 justice collaborators. It emerged that despite the important anti-mafia operations carried out recently in the area, such as Blizzard, Folgore and Black Flower, the Arena, Manfredi and Nicoscia gangs had maintained their operations and several new recruits from the local scene had joined the veterans. Furthermore, the criminal organizations also made use of the family members or cohabitants of other affiliates already detained. The supply of both hashish and heroin, according to the investigators, took place through Neapolitan, Reggio Calabria and Albanian channels, the latter attested in the Milanese suburbs and documented with the seizure of over 1 kg of heroin, carried out by the Carabinieri of the Scandicci company (Florence), on 8 October 2024. The sale of the drug then took place in the entire province of Crotone, especially in the periods summer and holidays.
The names
In prison:
Rosario Capicchiano;
Antonio Catanzaro;
Pietro Comberiati;
Giuseppe Fazio;
Tommaso Gentile;
Salvatore Nicola Guarino;
Antonio Lentini;
Giuseppe Francesco Liberti;
Antonio Manfredi;
Luigi Manfredi;
Pasquale Manfredi;
Bruno Simone Morelli;
Luigi Morelli;
Giuseppe Passalacqua;
Daiane Perziano;
Carmine Serapis;
Luigina Verterame;
Giuseppe Vittimberga.
Under house arrest:
Antonio Morelli.
Methodology and context of the investigation
The investigations, developed from January 2024 to July 2025, through observation, shadowing and control activities, as well as telephone and environmental interceptions and with computer “virus” interceptors, also supported by the declarations made by 11 (eleven) Justice collaborators:
* are combined with the findings of the “BLIZZARD – FOLGORE” and “BLACK FLOWER” investigations, carried out against members of the island’s ‘Ndrangheta gangs;
* have made it possible to shed light on the further criminal dynamics of the ‘Ndrangheta clan, known as Locale di Isola di Capo Rizzuto, and, in particular, of the “ARENA”, “MANFREDI” and “NICOSCIA” gangs.
Structure and resilience of gangs
The investigative activity documented:
* Reorganization capacity: their marked resilience and ability to regroup after the hard blows suffered in 2025 and at the beginning of the current year, maintaining their operations with the methods already found in previous investigations;
* Evolution of the organizational charts: their current structures, where the so-called “veteran” elements and various “new recruits” of the local associative panorama are included, who have also been able to make use of the family members or cohabitants of the other subjects already detained, since they were involved in previous police operations.
Extortionate activities and acts of intimidation
Serious indications of guilt have emerged in relation to serious criminal events, such as the five extortions, aggravated by the mafia method, committed against:
* A well-known traveling circus, present in Isola di Capo Rizzuto in June 2024;
* A bakery business and a supermarket affiliated with an international chain;
* A local construction company and a company from the province of Messina. The latter provided the rental of vehicles to a Salerno company active in the construction of electrical systems, to which several vehicles were damaged for an estimated damage of around 500,000 euros.
The “basin” system and drug trafficking
The existence of a “basin” was ascertained, i.e. a common fund used to financially support the families of prisoners and pay the related legal expenses. This fund was fed through:
* Supply channels: supply of hashish and heroin through Neapolitan, Reggio and Albanian channels (the latter operating in the Milanese hinterland, as confirmed by the seizure of 1,100 kg of heroin carried out in Scandicci on 8 October 2024).
* Distribution network: the consequent sale of substances throughout the entire province of Crotone, with peaks of activity recorded during the summer periods and the Christmas and Easter holidays.