We receive and publish the Press release from the District Attorney of Potenza, Francesco Curcio.
Here is what is reported:
“Following a vast and detailed investigation activity coordinated by District Anti-Mafia Directorate of Potenza and led by the State Police of Potenza and Matera, it proceeded to the execution, during the preliminary investigations, in the territory of Policoro and its province and in other municipalities in the province of Bari, of 24 personal precautionary measuresof which 14 of Precautionary Custody in Prison and 10 Residence and Presentation Obligations to the PG, issued by the investigating judge of the District Court of Potenza.
The investigative activity in the area, in particular, was carried out by SISCO and the Organized Crime Section of the Flying Squad of Potenza and Matera, Police Station of Policoro (MT), with the support and collaboration of the agents of the Flying Squads of other capitals of Italy and the Crime Prevention Departments of “Basilicata”, “Central Calabria” of Vibo Valentia, “Northern Calabria” of Cosenza, “Southern Calabria” of Siderno.
Judicial police investigations have been started in the year 2019 in order to reveal the existence and operation of a mafia-type criminal association long dedicated to extortion and the commission of other crimes against the assets and against the person active in the territory of the Municipality of Policoro belonging to the “Mitidier” family, closely connected to the “Scarid” clan of Policoro (MT), to the reconstituted “D’Elid” clan of Montescaglioso (MT) and to the “Martorano-Stefanutti clan of Potenza, as well as the Calabrian ‘Ndrangheta gangs and Apulian mafia associations.
Furthermore, in the same investigative context, the existence of a similar criminal association aimed at trafficking and dealing in narcotic substances, coinciding in its subjective basis with the first, was ascertained at the level of circumstantial gravity; both organizations would be headed by the MITIDIERI brothers Vincenzo and MITIDIERI Antonio (the latter having died in the meantime of natural causes), dedicated to the buying and selling of large quantities of narcotic substances such as “cocaine”, “heroin” and “hashish”, as well as to the cultivation , processing and trade of “marijuana”, with an impressive “drug market” managed in the Policoro areawith a “customer” portfolio of approximately 100 units.
There were also numerous follow-up activities carried out during the investigations which allowed the discovery and seizure of drugs and the identification of the various supply channels for narcotic substances, among which emerged – again in the investigative phase and therefore on the basis of circumstantial elements to be verified in the cross-examination of the parties the late “professor” GRIECO Antonio (deceased as a result of being shot in the countryside of Montescaglioso in May 2019, a criminal matter defined in the context of Criminal Proc. 1233/20 RGNR DDA Mod. 21) as well as further specific supply channels activated with traffickers from Altamura, such as CAVOTTA Davide and MORAMARCO Giuseppe, the Matera CRISTALLO Eustachio, known as “Uccie”, and finally the Apulian DI COSOLA Raffaele.
Furthermore, as emerged from the investigations, further channels of supply of narcotic substances were also activated with subjects, who on the basis of the investigations carried out, appear to be operating in the “Japigia” district of Bari, who repeatedly went to the Metaponto area to collect the sums of money. claimed for deliveries also carried out on credit to the suspect MITIDIERI Nicola, known as “Nim” (cl. ’81).
During the investigations, the power relations and conflicts existing between the “Mitidieri” family and other groups operating in the Ionian-Metapontine area were also ascertained and documented, such as some subjects linked to the “Schetting” family of Scanzano Jonico (MT) and the “Gialdino” family of Policoro (MT), in the latter case it appears emblematic to recall the attempted murder, committed by GIALDINO Antonio in October 2019 against MITIDIERI Vincenzo, who was seriously injured by several gunshots together to his friend LORITO Mario (also the recipient of a precautionary measure of Custody in Prison in this proceeding), in turn affected by a gunshot fired by the aforementioned GIALDINO Antonio, a criminal matter already defined in criminal proceedings no. . 3695/19 RGNR DDA Mod. 21, following the Sentence of the Court of Cassation n. 45316/2022 of 16.03.2023, which also confirmed the aggravating circumstance of the mafia method.
Furthermore, the investigation was also enriched by the contribution of hetero- and self-accusing statements made by some justice collaborators which made it possible to consolidate the validity of the investigative results achieved as well as to acquire, from within the organized crime circles themselves, further elements of knowledge regarding the set of criminal facts that occurred also with specific reference, as in the case of D’ELIA Giuseppe, to the Ndrangheta-type affiliations with the related criminal skills received over the years by both MITIDIERI Vincenzo and MITIDIERI Antonio.
Ultimately, it is an extensive, serious and heterogeneous investigative framework, reconstructed on the basis of several “investigative tools” which made it possible to demonstrate, in the precautionary phase, the existence of a criminal association aimed at drug trafficking pursuant to art. . 74 Presidential Decree 309/90, aggravated by the mafia method pursuant to art. 416 bis 1 of the criminal code, in relation to which specific illicit conduct was ascertained pursuant to art. 73 Presidential Decree 309/90 or even crimes of carrying and possession of firearms whose negative value undoubtedly appears to be increased by the associative connotation of the aforementioned association, the investigating judge having deemed the existence of the crime of mafia association not sufficiently demonstrated.
In conclusion, without prejudice to the principle of presumption of innocence, the numerous restrictive measures adopted following the investigations, on the basis of serious indications of guilt, which will obviously have to be examined during the trial phase, represent a further piece of the overall action to combat crime organized in Lucania, which the District Anti-Mafia Directorate of Potenza, thanks to the commendable contribution of the police forces, is conducting in a territory in which the presence of organized crime represents a reality which affects, in equal measure, the provinces of Potenza and Matera.
All this, if on the one hand requires that, at every level, we do not linger in dangerous underestimations of the phenomenon, on the other, it has made and continues to make constant, on this very important front, the daily, professional and systematic commitment of the Forces of the Lucanian Police and Judiciary”.
