The District Anti-Mafia Directorate of Rome has concluded the preliminary investigations relating to the “Anemone” operation, conducted by the Special Operational Group (Ros) of the Carabinieri. The investigative activity made it possible to dismantle an alleged criminal association of ‘Ndrangheta origin, operating in the capital and attributable to consortiums originating from Platì, with ramifications also in Piedmont.
In the provision, signed by Deputy Prosecutor Margherita Pinto, 80 charges are contested, including the trafficking of over a ton of cocaine and approximately 1,500 kg of hashish. Particularly serious is the episode of torture aggravated by the mafia method, alleged against four Italian suspects, who allegedly kidnapped and mistreated a drug dealer, causing him serious physical and psychological suffering. The torture, filmed with a mobile phone, would have been spread to intimidate other subjects active in drug dealing in the San Basilio area. The investigations also highlighted the association’s use of advanced cryptophonic systems, provided by an operations center identified in Rome and managed by an Albanian citizen, to evade control activities.
The investigative activity, which took place thanks to extensive international cooperation, made it possible to locate in Spain 5 fugitives for drug crimes whose arrest, on the recommendation of the ROS, was carried out by the local police authorities. Overall, the investigation, concluded with the issuing of 28 precautionary detention orders, 6 preventive interrogations, the arrest in flagrante delicto of 11 subjects, as well as, abroad, of 5 fugitives and the seizure of large quantities of narcotics, mostly cocaine and hashish, confirmed the infiltration of the Roman territory by organizations dedicated to drug trafficking, of an ‘Ndrangheta origin as well as the alliance, now considered structural, in the specific sector, between the ‘ndrangheta and joint Albanian organizations which, thanks to their ramifications in many European countries and beyond, would guarantee alternative supply channels and, above all, the possibility of using foreign ports, where they exercise their control, to diversify the narco-routes.
In the investigative context, the centrality of the Port of Gioia Tauro for cocaine imports emerged and the existence of agreements and rules that would allow organizations of different origins to divide up the most profitable narcotic sales areas in the capital. Finally, the “Anemone” investigation confirmed the systemic use of advanced technological tools that cannot be directly intercepted for operational communications.
The activity was conducted with the support of the Central Directorate for Anti-Drug Services, the International Police Cooperation Service, Interpol (I-Can project), the @net network of the Dia, Europol and Eurojust. In Albania, the executive phase was ensured by the Operational Force of the Criminal Police Department.
The Ros participated in the execution of the order of the investigating judge of Rome, issued at the request of the Capitoline DDA last July, with the support of the Provincial Carabinieri Commands of Rome, Reggio Calabria, Catanzaro, Cosenza, L’Aquila, Latina, Pistoia and the “Cacciatori Calabria” helicopter squadron.
The suspects, within 20 days of notification of the notice of conclusion of the investigations, will be able to present defense briefs, produce documents, request further investigative measures or ask to be interrogated.
All the suspects
Marco Altomare
Fatjon (aka Bledar) Berisha
Drini Beshtika
Marco Bettini
Antonio Callipari
Alessio Cervellini
Mariglen Cybi
Alessio Di Pietro
Giuseppe Fiorillo
Jurgen Havalja
Marco Lenti
Antonio Marando born in 2001
Francesco Marando
Luigi Marando born in 2000
Rosario Marando born in 1968
Erald Marku
Beqir Mema
Federico Mennuni
Maurizio Miconi
Francesco Molluso
Francesco Mozzetta
Riza Mucus
Domenico Pangallo
Domenico Natale Perre
Elis Roga
Arjan Sagajeva
Stefano Sbardella
Pasquale Trimboli
Angelo Turone
Maurizio Valeri
Gian Claudio Vannicola
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