PALERMO/BAGHERIA - The carabinieri of the Palermo provincial command have struck a major blow against organized drug trafficking in Sicily. In the early hours of Thursday morning, a total of ten people were arrested in a raid in Palermo, Bagheria and Termini Imerese. The operation, which was supported by special forces, dog squads and a helicopter, is the result of months of investigations by the anti-mafia directorate into a criminal organization specializing in the trade in narcotics.
Organized like a company
The investigations conducted between October 2022 and June 2023 paint a picture of a tightly run drug network that operated mainly in the municipality of Bagheria. According to investigators, it was headed by a 30-year-old man from the region who already had a criminal record. He maintained contacts with the suppliers, set the weekly wages for the individual dealers and did not shy away from ousting competing drug dealers from his territory. Wiretapped conversations revealed operational meetings in which sales territories were divided up and instructions issued. The group earned an estimated 1,000 euros per day from the sale of crack alone.
Arrest findings and previous successes
The officers also made a find during today's arrest. One of the targets was caught red-handed and arrested with 22 grams of crack cocaine and 2,236 euros in suspected deal money. In addition, a car and a luxury watch were confiscated from him as a preventive measure. Already during the investigation phase, a particularly active dealer in the group with 45 grams of crack cocaine, divided into 164 doses, were arrested. The public prosecutor's office emphasizes that the presumption of innocence applies to all suspects until a final verdict is reached
