A drug and contraband tobacco operation, carried out abroad, would have yielded illicit gains up to 20 million euros to the members of a criminal group that operated mainly in Naples and its province, reaching some territories of Caserta, and exploiting connections with the Capital to import drugs and tobacco. For this reason, this morning 11 people were hit by a pre-trial detention order following investigations carried out by the mobile police squad of Naples and the financial police of Fiumicino, in the province of Rome.
The criminal organization was able to move large quantities of drugs and contraband cigarettes using vehicles with hidden compartments. The loads were stored in parking areas for heavy vehicles, specially rented, or at the homes of people with no criminal records and therefore unsuspected.
The operational base of the criminal association was the home of one of the suspects, where the group usually met, held meetings and received customers. During the investigation, four people were arrested in the act and one person was reported for drug dealing and smuggling of foreign-made tobacco. In total, over 40 kilograms of hashish, 5 kilograms of marijuana, one kilogram of cocaine and 8 tons of foreign-made tobacco were seized.
The order was issued by the judge for preliminary investigations of the Naples court at the request of the local district anti-mafia directorate.