Adnkronos (Adnkronos) – With the execution of eight precautionary measures, seven of which were in prison, the State Police have dismantled a young criminal organization that was supplying drugs from the capital to drug dealing centers in central Italy, benefiting dealers active in Rome, Lazio, and other regions. In just six months, investigators documented the movement of over 4 quintals of hashish and approximately one kilo of cocaine, with an estimated street value of more than €350,000.
The investigation, conducted by the judicial police team of the Primavalle XIV District and coordinated during the executive phase by the Flying Squad, began in 2022 with a shipment of 50 kg of hashish stored in Bracciano and headed to Abruzzo. This initial input apparently created a crack within the organization, allowing investigators to reconstruct its criminal structure.
Following a pyramid scheme, the three leaders at the top of the organization directed eight other young men, who in turn were responsible for managing the deposits and were paid a monthly salary of approximately 8 euros.
At the base of the pyramid were more or less occasional couriers, whose wages ranged from €500 to €800 per month, depending on the distance covered. The logistics of storage were concentrated in the capital, around bases scattered throughout the Aurelio, Tuscolano, Pineta Sacchetti, and Boccea neighborhoods. In one isolated case, the use of a rented bungalow within a campsite was documented.
The flow of information among the members of the syndicate was organized by the three leaders via a little-known messaging app. Negotiations with customers, however, were handled via the most popular instant messaging platforms. The entire chat process was then managed by a "boss" who, behind the screen, operated using a nickname borrowed from English. His choice of name, even in its very nature, seemed to convey a sort of quality seal to the substance being sold. Finally, on the delivery front, the supply chain was handled by two small cars modified with a sophisticated mechanism, activated by a precise and complex combination of on-board controls, which provided access to a false bottom, whose capacity varied from 8 to 10 kg of hashish. The same concealment system was also used to store the sum of money received upon delivery. To complement the trips, the plan also included organizing a "relay" of the designated transport vehicle, backed by another "clean" car, serving both as a lookout and as a decoy in the event of police checks. Emulating crowdsourcing technology, the organization's leaders also planned to install a navigation app on the couriers' devices, allowing them to share their location in real time and receive updates on the presence of police forces, which were then sent live to the rest of the community.
To ensure "clean" travel, daytime movements were favored, in the belief that this would allow for easier circumvention of security. In terms of supply, the organization specialized in the sale of hashish, offered in various low-cost varieties available on the European market, thus ensuring an attractive price for end customers. To reach a wider audience, the product catalog also included cocaine, albeit to a lesser extent. Service was guaranteed even in the event of the courier's arrest or in response to unexpected customer needs, which were met even on weekends when demand was higher. The business volume did not, however, neglect regular customers, who were reached even from considerable distances from the capital for smaller deliveries. The evidence gathered against the 22 suspects by the State Police, coordinated by magistrates from the District Anti-Mafia Directorate, resulted in an order by which the Preliminary Investigations Judge ordered the pre-trial detention of eight young men—including the three leaders of the organization and five other associates. Another was placed under house arrest. During the execution, 1,3 kg of hashish was found in his possession, which immediately resulted in the sentence being increased to imprisonment. During the searches conducted this morning, approximately €187,000 in cash was seized. All are facing charges of conspiracy to traffic in narcotics.
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