The anti-drug operation of the Carabinieri, coordinated by the District Anti-Mafia Directorate of Messina which uncovered a ring of drug dealing between Messina and Torregrotta. The operation is the result of an investigation conducted by the Carabinieri of the Milazzo Company which revealed the operation of a syndicate dedicated to the sale of cocaine, crack, hashish and marijuana in Torregrotta. The carabinieri discovered that the drugs were sold to buyers in the area or from Milazzo and other municipalities in the Mamertine area, from Messina and Barcellona Pozzo di Gotto.
The investigations were started by the police following reports from some citizens. It emerged that the suspects had carried out an intense drug dealing activity, through the division into roles. The group's chief promoters in Messina were two people who, through a dense network of couriers and couriers, would supply their associates in Torregrotta with drugs for retail dealing.
In jail
Concetta Andaloro, 27 December 1950, Valdina
Salvatore D'Amore4 August 1970, Milazzo
Giuseppe Di Blasi22 August 1989, Messina
Roberto Duchino4 October 1978, Messina
Filippo Iannelli27 July 1983, Messina
Concetta Maestrale19 February 1975, Messina
Salvatore Minutoli1 October 1983, Messina
Antonino Papale13 February 1982, Messina
Maurizio Papale28 January 1969, Messina
Roberto Papale17 November 1980, Messina
Francesco Spadaro23 September 1976, Messina
House arrest
Damiano Rizzo8 August 1996, Messina
Under house arrest, but he was dealing at his mother's house
The operational base was the apartment of a suspect, who, despite being under house arrest, managed the retail sale of drugs in Torregrotta also making use of the home of his mother, who was also the recipient of the precautionary measure, to hide the drugs and keep the money from the illicit activity, which would then be divided among the associates. In most cases, the doses would have been delivered inside his home, in others, however, thrown directly from the windows of the apartment and received “on the fly” by the buyers.
Drugs in the lining of helmets
The various methods with which the organization attempted to avoid police checks were identified, such as hiding drugs under the padding of helmets. During the investigative activity, the Carabinieri arrested four suspects in flagrante delicto for possession for the purpose of trafficking of narcotic substances, who were then recipients of the precautionary measure. The investigation also made it possible to identify numerous drug users, reported to the Prefecture for possession of drugs for personal use, and to seize a total of over 600 grams of drugs, including cocaine, crack, hashish and marijuana, in the various services carried out. .