Even over the past weekend, like every weekend, the police forces carried out specific protection and control services in the areas of the historic center of Catania.
By order of the Catania police commissioner, targeted joint surveillance and public order services have been set up in order to ensure due protection for those who frequent the streets and squares of the nightlife area, for the customers of the premises, for the residents and for the owners. of the numerous commercial activities invaded by many visitors especially at the weekend.
The devices were created in the area of Piazza Vincenzo Bellini and surrounding areas by agents of the Catania Police Headquarters, by soldiers of the Guardia di Finanza and by patrols of the Local Police, with the support of the Scientific Police and the reinforcement units of the Mobile Department, while Carabinieri and Local Police crews operated in Piazza Federico di Svevia and the surrounding areas. In both areas, the operators carried out careful observation of people in transit or stationed within the pedestrian areas, in order to prevent excessive, disruptive and otherwise illegal behaviour. Furthermore, during the services, a thorough search of the surrounding squares and streets was carried out, alternating with the creation of various checkpoints.
In the area surrounding Piazza Bellini, the crews of the State Police and the Financial Police were deployed in order to avoid access to the pedestrian area from the side streets, especially by motorcycles, but also to monitor the conduct of customers, in order to prevent and combat widespread illegal phenomena, such as drug dealing or alcohol abuse among young people.
Furthermore, particular attention was paid to Via San Giuliano, from where one enters Piazza Vincenzo Bellini, where the constant presence of the inter-force personnel employed prevented the frequent phenomenon of wild parking in double rows, thus favoring regular vehicular transit in the area.
During these services, 120 people were identified, 26 of which with criminal records, 62 vehicles were checked and 3 infringements of the CDS were reported by the Local Police, two for lack of documents and one for showing an expired licence, as well as proceeded with the seizure of a car as it was already subjected to administrative seizure.
A specific check was also carried out in front of a public establishment, where the presence of waste material of various kinds deposited there was found on the pavement.
During the specific service, the agents of the Flying Squad on motorcycle-mounted duty, in the streets of the historic center, proceeded to stop and check a 50-year-old criminal from Catania. He was administratively sanctioned as he was caught carrying out the illicit activity of an illegal parking attendant and reported, in a state of freedom, for failure to comply with the DACUR having been identified in a street whose use had been forbidden to him.
At the same time in Via Dusmet the same patrol proceeded to arrest and check a 42-year-old criminal from Catania. The man was administratively sanctioned as he was caught practicing the illegal activity of illegal parking.
In the area of the San Cristoforo district, Castello Ursino, Piazza Federico di Svevia, Via Vittorio Emanuele, the action of the Carabinieri soldiers, with the use of 2 patrols, was mainly aimed at combating drug dealing among young people and of predatory crimes.
Specifically, 25 people were checked, including nightlife users/road users and 15 vehicles and, in addition, 12 infringements of the Highway Code were reported, imposing fines for a total amount of €677, especially for prohibitions on stopping and stopping. on the pedestrian crossings, against motorists who had parked their cars illegally in front of the Ursino Castle, thus preventing the phenomenon of “wild parking” in those areas, in favor of urban decorum and the usability of common spaces by citizens and tourists.
Furthermore, 6 checks were carried out aimed at preventing driving under the influence of alcohol, with the use of the breathalyser tracing a positive user with the presence of a blood alcohol level of 1.01 g/l in his blood. Personal searches for drugs were carried out on 5 young people, with negative results.
Thanks to the dynamic preventive activity implemented in the areas of interest and the measures implemented, no critical issues were recorded in the nightlife.
