Major Anti-Drug Operation in Palermo: 22 Arrests, Drug Dealing Networks Based in Ballarò, Villaggio Santa Rosalia and Brancaccio Dismantled

A complex operation by the State Police has dealt a heavy blow to drug trafficking in the Sicilian capital. The Judge for Preliminary Investigations of Palermo has issued precautionary measures against twenty-two individuals, held to be responsible in various capacities for association aimed at drug trafficking and drug dealing.

The first line of investigation revealed the existence of a cocaine and hashish import channel in Sicily. The stuff was sold in Palermo, Caltanissetta, Trapani, Syracuse and Agrigento . The criminal groups that allegedly managed the trafficking had their operational base in the Palermo districts of Ballarò, Brancaccio and Villaggio Santa Rosalia.
One of the main suspects had transformed his home, where he was held under house arrest, into a drug trafficking hub . During the investigation, it was discovered that a branch of the main group had broken away to activate a supply channel for hashish and cocaine from Naples.

These are those arrested on the orders of the preliminary investigations judge Lirio Conti: Giuseppe Bronte, 30 years old, Alessandro Scelta, 30 years old, Vittorio Di Maio, 33 years old, Giuseppe Viviano, 30 years old, Calogerino Sacheli, 48 years old, Luca Foti, 49 years old, Aniello Schiattarella, 60 years old, Vincenzo Arcoleo, 72 years old, Emanuele Arcoleo, 48 years old, Luigi Arcoleo, 41 years old, Gaetano Viviano, 41 years old.

House arrest for Emanuele Del Noce, 34 years old, Minfa Rita Arcoleo, 35 years old, Mirko Viviano, 32 years old.

The second order hits the organization that operated in Brancaccio, where two large cocaine depots were identified. In total, the police officers under the command of the Mobile director, Antonio Sfameni, seized 11 kilos, in addition to 56,000 euros in cash.

In the raid in Brancaccio, Giuseppe Catanzaro, 49 years old, Stefano Costa, 30 years old, Antonino Fragali, 43 years old, Salvatore Inzerra, 57 years old, Salvatore Schirò, 37 years old, Matteo Tsta, 41 years old, ended up in prison. House arrest for Giuseppe Catanzaro, 30 years old, and Salvatore Lo Re, 34 years old.