‘Ndrangheta in Soriano Calabro, the repentant in court: “A roadblock thwarted the ambush”

A Carabinieri roadblock reportedly caused a mafia ambush to fail in Soriano Calabro, in the Vibo Valentia area, with the killers already positioned with an AK-47 machine gun and an automatic rifle and ready to be warned of the passage of the designated victim – Domenico Zannino, 35 years old, from Sorianello – through the use of a walkie talkie. This is what was revealed this afternoon to the Court of Vibo Valentia by the collaborator of justice, Walter Loielo, called to testify in the maxi-trial «Maestrale-Carthago» against the clans of Vibo Valentia. The collaborator spoke of three ambushes (which later failed) against Domenico Zannino, considered a leading member of the Emanuele clan, which had been opposed to the Loielo clan for years. According to the collaborator’s story, the Loielo clan was given a hand by Rocco Tavella of Mileto. «We went to the soccer field – the collaborator declared – where they reached us Rinaldo Loiello And Rocco Tavellaaccompanied by Philip Pagano», the latter brother-in-law of Loielo. The victim would have been monitored – according to the collaborator’s story – by Filippo Pagano, from Soriano Calabro (not accused), who would have warned the members of the commando through the use of a walkie talkie. A roadblock of the carabinieri, however, prevented the ambush, while two other attempts to kill Zannino failed due to a breakdown in the cars chosen by the commando for the murder.