https://www.corrieredellacalabria.i...i-assisi-e-i-consigli-di-rocco-morabito/THE MINUTES
'Ndrangheta, the tales of drug broker Pasquino: the drugs of Assisi and the “advice” of Rocco Morabito
Statements released in Brazil: "I wanted to take on a load, but the laws had changed". The journeys of cocaine under the keel of ships
Published: 23/12/2024 – 7:00
TURIN «The properties that the Assisi had in Brazil were procured for them by the “Turk”, the one who lived in the attic above us in Praia Grande (…) he was missing some fingers and that’s why we also called him Manuzza. He’s the one who controlled the cocaine that we had in the apartments downstairs and in any case he provided us with assistance in various respects». «Certain houses were registered in the name of Paula Assisi» Vincenzo Pasquino continues. «Others were registered in the name of other people, including, I think, some of Paula’s relatives. Paula’s father was in politics, he had interests in a company that dealt with speed cameras in the state of San Paolo». Vincenzo Pasquino, born in 1990, born and raised in Turin, but considered a leading member of the ‘ndrangheta , told the Brazilian authorities the details . Before his extradition, in fact, Pasquino began to provide a series of details related to drug trafficking in the green and gold land.
READ ALSO: 'Ndrangheta, Pasquino's revelations: «Those from San Luca were not as reliable as the platioti»
"I had to shoulder a burden but the law had changed"
In the course of his stories, drug broker Pasquino also mentions an event linked to the Assisi family. «(…) I tried to take responsibility for the load to exonerate the Assisi family, it was an agreement between me and them. Patrick told me “take responsibility for the crime, confess, because here in Brazil even if they sentence you to 20 years, you do 3 and then go on semi-liberty, I’ll give you a dropped load and you take it on”. The advantage for me would have been not to be extradited to Italy and to let the Italian precautionary measure phase run out». A solution, however, rejected by “U Tamunga”. «Rocco Morabito, however, advised me against doing this because the law had changed in Brazil and they had increased the penalties for drug trafficking crimes. So I only took responsibility for the material seized in the Assisi family’s apartment in Praia Grande at the time of their arrest…».
READ ALSO: 'Ndrangheta, Vincenzo Pasquino's authority in Brazil «thanks to the name of Antonio Agresta»
Cocaine towards Gioia Tauro and Genoa
Pasquino then illustrated the details of drug trafficking from Brazil to Italy. «I was the first to use the technique of tying cocaine under the keel of ships departing from Paranaguá, using some Colombian divers, three to be precise, that I had brought. They were the ones who hid the merchandise behind the grates of the submerged water intakes of the ships (…) the first time from Paranaguá we did a test with 17 kg that turned out to work and the merchandise reached its destination in Gioia Tauro». Subsequently «we made a load of 110 kg or maybe 140 destined for Genoa, but since it was not possible to extract it due to the presence of the Police, they were then unloaded in Gioia Tauro. After this load we sent another 39 kg to the port of Genoa, but in this case the divers in charge of the exit found the rope cut so I think it was stolen», Vincenzo Pasquino continues. It was «Mario Palamara who accused me of having stolen the goods, but it would have made no sense because I would then have had to answer for it to the Brazilian suppliers» . (g.curcio@corrierecal.it)
