Naples - The operation, which began yesterday, involved officers from the Naples Police Headquarters' Flying Squad, supported by officers from local police stations (Poggioreale, Vasto-Arenaccia, Vicaria-Mercato, Ponticelli), the Canine Unit, and the Campania Crime Prevention Unit.
The raid focused on the Sant'Alfonso neighborhood, better known as "Connolo," with numerous searches carried out. This is an area controlled by the young bioss Luciano Barattolo, former head of the Mazzarella clan until his latest arrest.
The discovery in the 66-year-old's hideout
The fulcrum of the operation was the arrest of a 66-year-old Neapolitan man, already known to law enforcement. Officers detained him for possession with intent to sell. The breakthrough came inside his home, where the key to a second apartment, located on the same landing, was found. It was there that the haul became substantial: approximately 4 kg of marijuana and hashish, along with a precision scale.
From home to commercial premises
The investigation continued: believing the suspect might be hiding more, the officers extended their searches to a commercial space he used, finding a second precision scale, further evidence of a thriving drug dealing business.
The patrol, which also involved firefighters to access potentially blocked or unsafe premises, resulted in the recovery and seizure of approximately 5 kg of narcotics, including hashish, marijuana, and cocaine, as well as a large amount of packaging material.
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The arrested man is now at the disposal of the Judicial Authorities for the crime of possession for the purpose of dealing.
The decisive role of dog handlers: the "Nose" that never makes mistakes
The presence of the Canine Unit is never a coincidence in a seizure of this size. The approximately 9 kg of narcotics recovered were not on display, but cleverly concealed.
Targeted DetectionDrug-sniffing dogs (often trained German Shepherds, Labradors, or Border Collies) have the ability to sniff out narcotics even in airtight places, crawl spaces, false bottoms, or, as in the case of the Sant'Alfonso district, in makeshift hiding places in common areas or external appurtenances.
Speed and EffectivenessThe intervention of the dog handlers significantly accelerated the searches in the "Connolo" area, a notoriously complex area with many potential hiding places. Without them, the search for the extra 5 kg seized in the area surrounding the home would have been much longer and less fruitful.
Comments (1)
It's an interesting article, but there are some things that aren't clear. Why was the 66-year-old so well-known to law enforcement? And how do dog handlers find drugs in such hidden places? I'm not entirely sure.