In the prison of Salerno, drugs arrived through various channels and so did cell phones. There were real drug dealing squares and there was a sort of catalog of cell phones to be delivered to the penitentiary.
The modus operandi of drug trafficking was structured with real "drug dealing squares" inside the prison structure of Salerno, with individuals responsible for the detention of drugs inside the cavities and lockers in the cells, others responsible for introducing them into the prison through relatives or in-laws who came for periodic visits and hid the cell phones and the drugs in their private parts and finally an external structured payment system via Postepay which were topped up from the outside and were used to pay for the purchase of drugs inside the prison.
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The purchase of cell phones inside the prison had reached the dimensions of a real "market": it was enough to order the make and model to receive it delivered by visitors and pay for it through bank transfers to the dedicated Postepay machines. The use of cell phones occurred through SIM cards registered to untraceable individuals and almost always non-EU citizens, and they were used both for personal conversations with relatives and family members outside the prison and with supporters used for Postepay top-ups and to give directives and orders to clan members. During the entire investigation phase, with the collaboration of the prison management and the penitentiary police, numerous seizures of cocaine, hashish and cell phones were carried out, more than 30 cell phones and approximately 20 SIM cards and over 1 kilo of narcotic substance divided into several dozen doses, between cocaine and hashish, thus managing to contain and block the introduction into the prison of both drugs and cell phones.
In the first half of 2019, the investigation had highlighted the existence of illicit introductions into the Salerno prison of cellular devices as well as narcotic substances to be sold within the same prison facility. These circumstances had found correspondence in the findings of another proceeding initiated by the Salerno Public Prosecutor's Office. It emerged that a prisoner, the main suspect and considered by investigators to be the leader of the organization, had in collaboration with his associates, also set up within the Salerno prison, "a drug dealing center" through the introduction of narcotic substances and cell phones. The investigation also highlighted the involvement of a prison police officer, on duty in the "detention departments" of the prison, who would be involved in the illicit activities described. In particular, in exchange for compensation given to him by the head of the organization, through his main "collaborator", the unfaithful agent allegedly introduced quantities of narcotics into the prison. At the same time, the existence of another criminal association operating within the same institution, headed by another inmate, emerged.
During the investigation phase, with the collaboration of the prison management and the penitentiary police, several investigative checks were carried out inside the prison facility of Salerno. Numerous seizures of narcotic substances such as cocaine, hashish and cell phones were made; more than 30 cell phones and approximately 20 SIM cards and over a kilogram of narcotic substance divided into several dozen doses, between cocaine and hashish, thus managing to contain and block the introduction of both drugs and cell phones into the prison.
Article published on 24 February 2021 - 11:47
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