Pusher 3.0 in Benevento with prepaid cards and a room equipped for 'consumption'

One of the drug trafficking groups in Benevento—and busted in a Carabinieri raid that resulted in the arrest of nine people—used to conduct their business "in the lobby of the Regional and Provincial offices, on Via Santa Colomba in the Libertà district of Benevento." This was reported by the Benevento Prosecutor's Office, which coordinated the operation. "In Benevento," says Prosecutor Aldo Policastro, "we are seeing a high number of arrests for this type of crime because demand is high and supply, consequently, is high." Seventy officers, supported by canine units, were deployed as part of the anti-drug operation, dubbed "Mercato Rionale." All those arrested are from Benevento, with the exception of a young man from Ceppaloni. A woman is under investigation for money laundering. According to the Prosecutor's Office, the arrested men were organized into two groups, each reporting to key figures, and operated individually, knowing they could count on the support of the other suspects in the event of a temporary unavailability of "goods" to sell. They were a sort of pusher 3.0: willing to accept electronic payments and organized to allow customers to consume their doses in complete tranquility in a fully equipped room. It was a specialized organization, all from Benevento, aged between 20 and 50, some with prior drug convictions and other crimes. For payments, the pushers accepted top-ups on a prepaid credit card registered to a person who is not currently directly involved in the operation, but who could be investigated for receiving stolen goods. Another member of the gang, who lives in the same area, near the municipal stadium, preferred to sell from his home, where he had also set up a room for heroin consumption. Over the past year, Carabinieri officers from the Benevento provincial command have made 112 drug-related arrests. Those subject to the restrictive measures are: Antonio Barone, 43; Alfredo Mucci, 42; Antonio Parrella, 44; Giuseppe Tassella, 35; Gabriele De Luca, 30; Vincenzo Mari, 44; Umberto Varricchio, 33; Alberto Anzovino, 22, from Benevento; and Luciano Ricci, 32, from Ceppaloni.