Anti-mafia maxi blitz in Agrigento, a war between clans avoided Mafia Arrests in Agrigento
by Editorial Staff | 12/17/2024
A major anti-mafia operation has shaken the province of Agrigento and several Sicilian locations. The Carabinieri of the Agrigento Provincial Command, supported by several specialized units, have executed an arrest warrant issued by the District Anti-Mafia Directorate (DDA) of Palermo against 23 suspects. The operation, which also involved the Provincial Commands of Palermo, Trapani and Caltanissetta, as well as dog units and helicopters, involved the cities of Agrigento, Favara, Canicattì, Porto Empedocle, Santa Margherita Belice, Mazara del Vallo, Partanna, Campobello di Mazara, Castelvetrano and Gela. At the same time, personal and house searches were carried out on another 20 suspects .
The accusations and the investigations The 23 arrested are accused, to varying degrees, of belonging to the Cosa Nostra mafia organization, drug trafficking and other crimes. The investigations, conducted by the Investigative Unit of the Carabinieri Operations Department of Agrigento and coordinated by the DDA of Palermo, began in December 2021 and focused on reconstructing the organizational chart and criminal activities of the mafia families of Porto Empedocle and Agrigento/Villaseta. Investigators believe that the heads of these families are respectively Fabrizio Messina, 49, and Pietro Capraro, 39, both with criminal records.
Cosa Nostra Agrigento: still active and dangerous The operation shows how the Agrigento Cosa Nostra, despite the blows inflicted by previous police operations, is still active and dangerous. The organization, according to investigators, has significant economic resources and an arsenal of weapons. The investigation also highlighted a worrying instability in the local mafia balance, aggravated by the connections between the inmates and the outside. The members of the organization, even during detention, continued to give orders and directives, maintaining control of criminal activities in the territory.
Crimes committed and control of the territory The investigations have collected evidence of numerous crimes committed using the intimidating power of the mafia organization. These include: extortion of companies operating in the waste, fuel and construction sectors; arson and damage to vehicles; robberies; and intimidation with firearms. The goal was to impose mafia control over the territory and obtain illicit profits. Investigators have documented cases of extortion in which victims were forced to hire personnel indicated by the organization or to pay sums of money.
Drug trafficking and international connections In addition to extortion activities, the Porto Empedocle and Agrigento/Villaseta mafia families also ran a thriving drug trafficking business. Investigations revealed the existence of two distinct drug trafficking organizations that worked together to control the drug market in the province of Agrigento. These organizations had contacts with criminal groups in other Sicilian provinces, but also nationally and internationally, in countries such as Belgium, Germany and the United States. Over 100 kg of hashish, over 6 kg of cocaine and €120,000 in cash were seized during the investigation.
Risks of a mafia “war” and further arrests Recent investigative activities have highlighted an alarming escalation of intimidating acts, including the use of firearms. This situation, according to investigators, was due to conflicts over control of the territory and the attempt by some groups to challenge the hegemony of the Agrigento/Villaseta mafia family. The risk of a real mafia “war” was real. During the searches carried out as part of the operation, additional quantities of drugs and cash were seized. A further individual was arrested in flagrante delicto for possession of approximately 200 grams of cocaine and 2,700 euros in cash. The 23 arrested were taken to various Sicilian prisons, at the disposal of the Judicial Authority.
