Taranto, huge underground landfill discovered in Fragagnano: investigations into illegal waste trafficking from Campania

Taranto – Several tons of waste buried five meters deep have been discovered in the countryside of Fragagnano, in the province of Taranto, by the Carabinieri of the Ecological Operations Unit of Napoli and Lecce, together with the Ionian Provincial Command.

The investigation, coordinated by the Lecce District Anti-Mafia Directorate, had already led to the arrest of nine people, accused to varying degrees of criminal association, illegal waste trafficking, illegal waste management, obstruction of control and seizure of assets worth approximately one million euros. The precautionary order, issued by the Lecce GIP, came after months of investigations conducted by the Noe of Lecce, Bari and Naples, started in June 2023 and continued in several Italian regions.

During the new checks, the military inspected an agricultural land in Fragagnano, which was used by some of the suspects affected by the precautionary measures of February. The area was used for the illegal disposal of industrial waste and scraps deriving from the recovery of the unsorted fraction of urban waste. The labels on some materials allowed to trace their origin, attributable to various areas of Campania.

The area, which covers approximately 10.000 square meters, has been placed under sequestration pending the characterization of the waste and soil analysis, aimed at verifying any environmental contamination. Investigations are continuing to identify additional responsible parties and ascertain the impact of the pollution on the territory.