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'Ndrangheta, in Vibo very high criminal density in a territory «oppressed by clans»
The hegemony of the Mancuso clan and the number of arrests and trials still in progress. Precautionary measures requested for 1,086 suspects
Published: 25/01/2025 – 15:53
CATANZARO In all the reports, first of all, it is referred to a widespread «presence of organised crime of the 'ndrangheta type», particularly insidious and pervasive, never completely eradicated despite the succession of investigations and trials. This is what the president of the Court of Appeal of Catanzaro, Concettina Epifanio, wrote in her report, on the occasion of the inauguration ceremony of the judicial year of the District.
As the Public Prosecutor of Catanzaro, Vincenzo Capomolla, writes, «the 'ndrangheta is now recognized as the most dangerous and powerful criminal organization among the “mafias”: this is in relation to both the volumes of business achieved, and in particular in relation to international drug trafficking, extortion activities - having as their object both private commercial activities and the performance of public contracts -, and the ability to influence economic activities - precisely because of the massive investments of dirty money in legal commercial and entrepreneurial activities -, and the ability to infiltrate and influence civil society and public administrations».
The numbers
Therefore - it is stated - the pervasive presence of the mafia phenomenon generates an impressive series of investigations, proceedings and trials, as demonstrated by the data already reported in other parts of this report, to which some data reported by the District Anti-Mafia Prosecutor of Catanzaro must be added here. In particular, the pending proceedings as of 30 June 2024 against known subjects were equal to 615, with an increase of 23 proceedings compared to the figure for the previous year (when there were a total of 592). Those pending against unknown subjects stood at 264 proceedings , also in this case with a greater occurrence of 8 new registrations compared to the same date of the previous year. The intense activity carried out by the Catanzaro District Anti-Mafia Prosecutor's Office in the reference period is demonstrated by various aspects, including: the number of precautionary measures requested against 1,086 suspects, with 714 accepted for custody in prison, 123 house arrests, and 6 for non-precautionary and interdictory measures. And then by the impressive number of hearings (2,071) before the district GUP, in the debates held before the 7 Tribunals and the 2 Assize Courts (Catanzaro and Cosenza) of the district, without counting the hearings before the Review Court and before the GIP for the validation of arrests in flagrante delicto and detentions pursuant to art. 384 cpp
The Mancuso clan
Dozens and dozens of proceedings that the District Anti-Mafia Prosecutor's Office has dealt with in the year in question. In his report, in fact, the prosecutor Capomolla lists and illustrates analytically the intense activity carried out by his office, district by district. Starting with Vibo Valentia.
Here, in fact, there remains a "very high criminal density, probably the highest in the entire territory , especially if evaluated in relation to the number of inhabitants and the smallness of the territorial extension", as stated in the report. Numerous are the 'ndrangheta gangs that oppress the district, "extending their branches throughout the national territory and also abroad. The historic Mancuso gang is hegemonic, composed of the 11 sons of the original founder and their descendants, now in their fourth generation, with numerous affiliates and a congeries of associated gangs" , as stated.
The operations
And among the many proceedings that have involved the Vibo Valentia area, the “Rinascita-Scott” trial stands out for its exceptional size, having hit the headlines for the execution of a precautionary measure that involved 334 people and a total number of approximately 450 subjects. The “ordinary section” of the trial, which had as its object the crime of association and numerous crimes resulting from the criminal activity of the Mancuso gang and the satellite 'ndrine operating throughout the Vibo Valentia area and in various areas of the national territory, with investments beyond the border, concluded in November 2023 and the motivation was filed on 16 May 2024. And then the other important proceedings: “Dedalo-Rinascita 2” involving three different associations, with the first sentence issued for the 58 defendants, last 1 December 2023, who had chosen to be judged with the ordinary procedure. There is “ Assocompari ”, a continuation of the “Rinascita-Scott” investigation and the result of international police cooperation with Hungarian, Cypriot, French, Danish and British authorities and judicial cooperation with the coordination of Eurojust, which also made use of the collaboration of the Financial Intelligence Unit (UIF) of the Bank of Italy and the financial support of the @ON project. The proceedings involved a series of defendants, 5 of whom opted for the abbreviated procedure and the sentence was issued on 14 May 2024, with an appeal underway while the ordinary section is still pending before the Court of Vibo Valentia.
The hands of the clans on tourism
The “ Maestrale-Carthago ” trial is still underway, concerning the 'ndrangheta gangs of Mileto and Zungri and the 'ndrine of Briatico and Cessaniti, particularly active in extortion against construction companies and commercial businesses operating in the tourism-hotel sector. It has brought together the other investigations “Olimpo” and “Imperium”, involving 285 defendants, 91 of whom have chosen to be judged with the abbreviated procedure and the remainder with the ordinary procedure. Finally, there are the “ Porto Salvo ” investigations which allowed us to reconstruct four very serious bloody events that occurred between 2008 and 2012, closely linked to each other and which involved a series of individuals placed at the top of at least four 'ndrangheta articulations and “ Habanero ”, in the context of which on 14 June 2024 a custodial order was executed against 14 suspects for the crimes of mafia-type armed association, multiple homicide, external competition in mafia association and for other serious crimes, all aggravated by the mafia method and purposes. (g.curcio@corrierecal.it)
