ROME - The carabinieri in the EUR district have succeeded in striking a major blow against organized drug trafficking using state-of-the-art technology. Three men were taken into custody on the orders of the public prosecutor's office in Rome.
The suspects are accused of having jointly trafficked cocaine, hashish and marijuana. One of the men, who has already served time in Civitavecchia prison for similar offenses, is also accused of money laundering and self-money laundering.
Digital marketplace: drug trafficking via Telegram and crypto
The investigators uncovered a sophisticated system. The gang allegedly advertised and sold their drugs via social media channels such as Telegram and Instagram. Customers then paid the invoices digitally, including using cryptocurrencies that were transferred to special wallets. Orders were delivered discreetly to buyers in the capital and other Italian cities via postal courier services.
Logistics base with weapons depot
The complex investigation had been ongoing since 2023 and began with the analysis of crypto exchange platforms through which illegal funds flowed into the e-wallet of a Chinese citizen who had already been arrested in June 2024. He is said to have exchanged the cryptocurrencies for cash and laundered them in this way.
Through surveillance, the Carabinieri also identified the group's logistics base: an apartment just outside Rome. This is where the drugs were stored, packaged and prepared for shipment. During an earlier search of this warehouse, the officers seized 15 kilograms of hashish, a semi-automatic 9-caliber pistol with the serial number removed, six bottles of Rivotril and five dangerous paper bombs (so-called „bombe carta“).
Further house searches were carried out at the same time as the arrests. The authorities emphasize that this is part of the preliminary investigation and that the presumption of innocence applies to all suspects until a final verdict is reached.
