There are also the Neapolitan gangs of Soccavo, the Traiano district and the Monti Lattari behind the drug trafficking coming from Ecuador and which the other day led to the arrest of 16 people between Naples, the province, Salerno and Calabria.
The Neapolitan played a fundamental role in the importation of cocaine hidden in the loads of bananas and chickpeas Henry D'Ambrosio former right-hand man of the drug lord Simone Bartimore ally of Raphael Imperial.
But there is also Joseph Gargiulo of Letters on the Lattari Mountains, who ended up under house arrest and who is the brother of the more famous Ciro Gargiulo ditto the blond one, killed in a Camorra ambush in February of this year.
The impressive operation by the Carabinieri of the ROS, coordinated by the Salerno Prosecutor's Office, led to the seizure of over 1,2 tons of drugs and the arrest of 16 people for international drug trafficking.
At the heart of the organization, the group of traffickers that operated between Colombia, Calabria and Campania, with ramifications in other Italian regions. The operation of the Dda of Salerno has led to the seizure of over 1,2 tons of drugs in the last two years.
The investigation identified two large importations. The first of a large load of cocaine, about 250 kilos from South America and the second of over a thousand kilos of marijuana from Canada.
If in the first case, the operational element was a classic pick-up operation, that is, opening the containers and removing bags that, even autonomously, could travel with respect to the mother load.
In the second case, it was an import made with a cover load, correctly purchased on the Canadian grain and legume market.
For the recovery of drugs from the port of Salerno, drug traffickers received compensation ranging between 10% and 20% of the value of the narcotic, in money or goods.
The roles of the characters involved in the blitz
Carmine Ferrara (60 years old): the group's "broker", capable of establishing relationships with various criminal organizations throughout the country. Arrested in prison.
Franco Volpe and Cataldo Esposito: they coordinated the cocaine “landing” operations on behalf of the Calabrian Alvaro gang. Both in prison.
Nicholas and Francis Alvaro: direct descendants of the Reggio Calabria gang, they had financed the importation of cocaine.
Fortunato Marafioti and Errico D'Ambrosio: intermediaries between Ferrara and the Alvaros. Both in prison.
Antonio Malafronte from Scafati: co-owner of the company Malafronte Group AM srl of Boscoreale importer of the seized marijuana. Under house arrest.
Michael Annunziata: Italian-American originally from San Giuseppe Vesuviano but resident in Canada who organized the importation of marijuana. In prison.
Joseph Gargiulo: Financier of marijuana import operation. Under house arrest.
The two operations:
March 2023: seizure of 220 kg of cocaine hidden in a container of bananas from Ecuador. Destined for the Alvaro clan.
April 2023: seizure of over 1 ton of marijuana hidden in a container of chickpeas from Canada. Financed by Gargiulo and recovered by Volpe and another untraceable individual.
Overall, there are 17 people under investigation while 15 precautionary measures have been ordered by the investigating judge of Salerno, Giandomenico D'Agostino.
Inmates in prison:
1. Carmine Ferrara: Promoter and organizer of the association, born in 1963 and resident in Giffone Sei Casali.
2. Franco Volpe: Born in 1972 in Sessa Cilento, coordinator of drug recovery operations.
3. Cataldo Esposito: Born in 1951 in Pontecagnano, member of the association.
4. Salvatore Rocco: Born in 1969 in San Sebastiano al Vesuvio, part of the association.
5. Fortunato Marafioti: Born in 1981 in Casoleto, intermediary for the Alvaro 'ndrine.
6. Francesco Alvaro and Nicola Alvaro: Financiers and buyers of cocaine, born respectively in 1998 and 1982 in Sinopoli.
7. Errico D'Ambrosio: Alvaro's right-hand man, born in 1984 in Cercola.
8. Michele Annunziata: Organizer of a marijuana shipment, born in 1944 and resident in Canada.
House arrest:
9. Antonio Malafronte: Born in 1985 in Boscoreale, he managed a warehouse intended to receive a container.
10. Michele Campanale: Born in 1966 in Ruvo di Puglia, implicated in thefts in Cilento.
11. Giuseppe Gargiulo: Co-financier of the import, born in 1953 in Lettere.
Article published on May 2, 2024 - 08:11 pm
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