https://www.corrieredellacalabria.i...e-e-i-legami-con-i-grande-aracri-i-nomi/THE OPERATION
'Ndrangheta and drug dealing in Emilia: the Italian-Albanian group and its links with the Grande Aracri – THE NAMES
15 arrests were made at dawn today at the end of an investigation coordinated by the Bologna DDA. The drugs imported and distributed towards Calabria
Published: 14/01/2025 – 12:52
REGGIO EMILIA Since 4:00 this morning, over 100 members of the Guardia di Finanza and State Police officers, on behalf of the District Anti-Mafia Directorate of the Public Prosecutor's Office at the Court of Bologna and under the direction of the Deputy Prosecutor, Roberto Ceroni, have executed the order for the application of a personal precautionary measure against 15 individuals (of which 12 in prison and 3 under house arrest), simultaneously executing a personal and local search and seizure order against 16 individuals.
The following ended up in prison:
Bolognino Domenico (class of '90) from Locri (RC);
Catellani Cesare (class of '73);
Desari Xhemali (class of '90);
Dushku Avni (class of '86);
Dushku Fabjol (class of '89);
Gaetano Salvatore (class of '81) from Locri;
Gatta Daniele (class of '84);
Kusi Rigers (class of '87);
Lumi Sokol (class of '86);
Modafferi Antonino (class of '80) from Reggio Calabria;
Palladino Daniel (class of '01);
Sula Bashkim (class of '87).
Under house arrest:
Nikolla Julian (class '80);
Pepa Armand (class '91);
Tafa Aureldi (class '92).
The investigation
The investigation activity has allowed us to identify an Italian/Albanian criminal organization that – based in the province of Reggio Emilia and dedicated to international drug trafficking – since 2020, has imported and purchased (from Albania, Kosovo, Ecuador, Colombia and the Netherlands) as well as held and sold throughout the national territory, with some distributions taking place from the province of Reggio Emilia to Calabria: 23 kg of cocaine, 6 of heroin, 80 of hashish and 240 kg of marijuana for an estimated value of 8 million euros. During the complex investigations – which have highlighted the associative nature of the crimes committed – the association between individuals of Albanian nationality, others belonging to the 'ndrangheta-type organized crime and others still close to the Lazio crime was found. During the investigations, 5 individuals had already been arrested in flagrante delicto for drug trafficking, 4 of whom were again affected by today's ordinance. Furthermore, the introduction, from Spain, into the national territory of € 75,000.00 in counterfeit € 500.00 banknotes was ascertained.
Encrypted chats
The complete reconstruction of the illicit international drug trafficking activity was possible - in addition to the use of technical investigations with telephone and environmental interceptions - also thanks to the subsequent acquisition of numerous telematic conversations that the drug traffickers had exchanged via encrypted smartphones using the Sky-ECC application. These data were acquired following a European Investigation Order (EIO), thanks to a complex judicial police activity conducted by the French, Dutch and Belgian Police Forces on the encrypted communication platform SKYECC, where it was possible to draw on millions of messages of investigative interest, exchanged between members of criminal organizations and operating in various countries of the European Union.
The group
The criminal organization has proven capable of operating on the national territory in multiple distinct geographical contexts, but inextricably interfunctional among themselves:
- the Emilian one, where the management and operational headquarters (as well as the residence of the majority of the associates) were located in Bibbiano di Reggio Emilia and the additional logistical bases were located (Sassuolo and Polinago);
- the Calabrian one, territory used in connection with local criminal groups, both for the supply of batches of cocaine and for the distribution of quantities of heroin, hashish and marijuana;
- the Roman one, with the entry into business of individuals well-connected in the criminal circuits of the capital;
- the Venetian one, used both as a terminal for the distribution of the drug and for the extemporaneous acquisition of supplies of narcotics in the face of contingent needs, in relation to which the Turin territory was also drawn upon.
The association – with high penetration capabilities in drug dealing areas not only in Emilia, being able to count on a distribution network branched out across the entire national territory and on European and South American supply channels – was managed as a real business activity, with absolutely managerial methods characterized by continuous planning, agile adaptation to contingent situations and the search for maximum profit. The high number of purchases of narcotics and of the same transfers, have confirmed the high social dangerousness of the accomplices which, as far as the suspects of Calabrian origin are concerned, is also substantiated by the existence of relationships of a family nature with members of the Calabrian 'ndrina attributable to the Grande Aracri family , rooted in the Emilian territory for years.
The companies
At the same time, 10 individuals permanently established in the Reggio Emilia area (originally from Calabria and Albania) were reported to the Public Prosecutor's Office of Reggio Emilia who, through 7 companies (of which 6 operating in the province of Reggio Emilia and 1 in that of Parma as well as 3 found to be actual shell companies), issued invoices for non-existent transactions for a total of €5,276,611.18, obtaining an illicit profit for an amount of over €511,330.05. The companies operate (and in some cases, operated, since they ceased their activity) mainly in the construction sector. (redazione@corrierecal.it)
