TERMOLI. The recent celebrations connected to the pilgrimage of the Madonna of Fatima to Termoli, which arrived in the Adriatic town on 27 April on board a helicopter of the Air Section of the Guardia di Finanza of Pescara and left on 5 May on the same aircraft, have made it possible to strengthen the already significant link between the Guardia di Finanza and the territory of lower Molise, increasingly coinciding with the 250th anniversary of the foundation of the Corps. The event, which recorded a strong participation of the faithful and culminated with the Solemn Pontifical presided over by Secretary of State of the Holy See, HE Cardinal Pietro Parolin, in addition to constituting a particularly significant moment for the local Catholic community, in fact saw the Aeronaval Operations Department of the Guardia di Finanza of Termoli engaged in ensuring, in close synergy with the patrols operating on land, the surveillance of territorial waters, confirming the strategic role of the Corps in garrisoning the sea and the airspace above, helping to guarantee the orderly carrying out of the ceremonies.
The Aeronaval component of the Guardia di Finanza, as the only “Sea Police” force responsible for maintaining public order and safety at sea by virtue of Legislative Decree no. 177/2016, operates in coordination with the Public Safety Authorities, constantly ensuring supervision in the maritime environment, an activity which takes on particular importance during the summer period, as well as on the occasion of major events, sporting and cultural exhibitions and demonstrations. with strong public appeal. The Fiamme Gialle di mare of Molise patrol the territorial waters that touch the Molise coast and the Tremiti Islands on a daily basis to protect the legal economy and combat illicit activities, including those connected to drug trafficking and irregular migrants , also within the scope of international operations promoted by the European Border and Coast Guard Agency FRONTEX. Furthermore, particular attention is ensured in the fight against illegal work, illegal fishing, violations of the Navigation Code and environmental crimes.
The fleet supplied to the Naval Station of Termoli, composed of lookouts and smaller units, has carried out maritime and coastal surveillance activities along the coast over the course of the current year, over a 24-hour period, carrying out 224 operational missions and 38 checks in various sectors of intervention, which made it possible to administratively sanction 27 subjects and to refer to the Judicial Authority a further person responsible for violations concerning the undue use of fuels for subsidized uses.
The patrolling activity at sea made it possible to subject 54 vessels of various types to inspection, to identify 128 people for police purposes, as well as to impose administrative sanctions of approximately 25,000 euros for violations of the Navigation Code. As part of the operations aimed at preserving the fish and biological heritage, as well as the protection of human health, 19 interventions were carried out which ended with the seizure of 930 kilograms of fish products not in compliance with the traceability obligations imposed by law, 950 specimens of sea urchins immediately rejected into the sea to ensure their survival and guarantee the repopulation of the seabed, as well as a further 120 kilograms of fish products of various kinds caught illicitly. The action carried out by the Aeronaval Operations Department of Termoli testifies, once again, to the effectiveness of the protection continuously guaranteed by the Body to protect the interests of the State, the European Union, the legal economy and citizens.
