28 individuals suspected of mafia association, extortion, attempted murder, drug trafficking and other crimes arrested by the State Police
This morning, State Police personnel in Reggio Calabria and other Italian cities executed a precautionary custody order issued by the GIP of the Court of Reggio Calabria at the request of the Public Prosecutor's Office - District Anti-Mafia Directorate - directed by the Prosecutor Giovanni BOMBARDIERI, against 28 subjects (23 in prison and 5 under house arrest) - suspected, in various capacities, and at the state of the proceedings in the preliminary investigation phase and without prejudice to various evaluations in the subsequent phases, of the crimes of mafia association, extortion, attempted murder, illegal possession of weapons, possession and dealing of narcotic substances and more.
At the same time, the preventive seizure of 11 companies attributable to entrepreneurs under investigation for the crime of external complicity in a mafia association was also carried out.
The investigations, conducted by the Reggio Calabria Flying Squad under the directives of the Public Prosecutor's Office, constitute the natural continuation (hence the conventional name Fourth Act) of the investigations known as Theorema – Roccaforte, Black Book and Malefix, which over time have revealed structures and criminal dynamics of the LIBRI, DE STEFANO and TEGANO gangs, with the consequent execution of precautionary measures against numerous individuals. Today's investigative findings, consisting of telephone, environmental and electronic interceptions, but also of the declarations of an entrepreneur who was a victim of extortion, have made it possible to ascertain the continuing operation of the LIBRI gang not only in the historic stronghold consisting of the Cannavò district and surrounding areas, but also its influence in the neighborhoods of Condera, Reggio Campi, Modena, Ciccarello, San Giorgio, in the hamlets of Gallina, Mosorrofa, Vinco and Pavigliana as well as in the central area of Reggio Calabria, the latter portion of the territory within which agreements are in force dividers with the DE STEFANO and TEGANO consortia.
With regard to the structures of the criminal group, the investigative activity has highlighted the persistent activity of the head of the Spirito Santo premises, already detained after being arrested during the Malefix operation, who through the use of cleverly modified mobile phones and introduced into the penal institutions where he was imprisoned, with the active collaboration of his son, he continued to give instructions to some of his most trusted associates.
Despite the confirmed operation of the aforementioned, his state of detention and that of another gang leader, who, with the order executed today new extortion episodes are contested, have forced the regency of the gang to be entrusted to the top of the Vinco ndrina and Pavigliana.
Furthermore, the investigation revealed the operation, within the LIBRI clan, of a further branch, namely that of San Cristoforo, a territory adjacent to that of Spirito Santo, at the top of which, according to the investigative reconstruction, is placed another person, who by virtue of his role is also responsible for managing extortion activities. In the same territorial area, after his release, the criminal activism of the actual operational arm of the gang was recorded, which, as documented by the investigations, interacted constantly and in a confidential manner with the current regent.
In the Gallina area, however, also under the influence of the LIBRI gang, the contacts were identified as two brothers, who for the management of the illicit affairs interacted with the LIBRI gang until his arrest and, subsequently, with other criminals. In the same territory, other individuals who had returned between December 2018 and December 2020 were identified, on the mandate of the then head of the LIBRI gang responsible for a series of extortions.
A further territory subjected to the influence of the LIBRI gang is that of the pre-Aspomontane hamlets of Terreti, Straorino and Ortì, where the association operates in the extortion sector, in symbiosis with the members of the MORABITO gang known as "the Grilli".
The investigation has further reconstructed the role of one of the most trusted collaborators of the LIBRI gang, who in a sort of capacity as foreign minister was delegated above all to manage relations with the exponents of the TEGANO gang and the ZAVETTIERI gang, hegemonic of the territory of Roccaforte del Greco, revealed to be among the BOOKS' most trusted lieutenants.
With particular reference to the agreements with the DE STEFANO – TEGANO gang, the discussions with the top exponents of the same, affected by today's precautionary measure, were mediated, among others, by the associate affiliated to the arcoto association and drawn from the precautionary measure in the present proceeding .
Finally, as proof of the charisma and significant criminal relations of the LIBRI gang, solid relationships with the ndrangheta branches of both the Tyrrhenian and Ionian districts were recorded.
In addition to the crime of mafia association, some of the suspects are charged with several extortion incidents against entrepreneurs engaged in carrying out works and contracts in the territories of the gang's criminal influence.
Some entrepreneurs, on the other hand, are charged with the crime of external participation in a mafia association, believing that they had established a real synallagmatic relationship with the gang, paying sums of money or hiring reported personnel in exchange for protection and help in acquiring orders and expand its activities, in some cases even outside the province of Reggio Calabria.
Another criminal case on which the investigations have shed light, albeit partially, is an attempted murder committed on 17 May 2017 in Reggio Calabria. For this fact, two individuals are under investigation who would have had the task of procuring and hiding the weapons and the motorcycle (later found and seized by State Police investigators) used to carry out the crime.
Finally, it should be highlighted that one of the subjects drawn from today's provision, while still in prison, was also active in narcotics trafficking, particularly cocaine. In fact, taking advantage of the possibility of communicating from prison through an illegally detained telephone, he instructed his son to recover approximately 800 grams of cocaine in a garage located in Northern Italy, which was then marketed with the help of two co-suspects.
In the executive phase of the operation they provided personal assistance from the SISCO of Reggio Calabria, the Anti-Crime Division and the detached police stations, the Flying Squads of Bologna, Brindisi, Catanzaro, Cuneo, Verbania, Verona and Udine, Crotone, Cosenza, Enna, Catania, Messina, Syracuse and crews of the Crime Prevention Departments of Calabria and Sicily.