The investigations by the DDA of L’Aquila into the grazing mafia entrusted to the Guardia di Finanza have been closed: 75 individuals and entities between Abruzzo, Puglia, Trentino Alto Adige, Piedmont, Lombardy, Veneto, Liguria, Emilia Romagna, Lazio and Campania have been involved. The hand of the Foggia mafia is suspected.
Investigations concluded huge scam against the European Union to pocket millions of euros of public funds for non-existent pastures. This is the outcome of “Transhumance” operation, conducted from north to south, from Financial Police of Pescara, directed and coordinated by District Anti-Mafia Directorate (DDA) of the L’Aquila Prosecutor’s Office. There are 75 subjects and entities involved, throughout Italy, between Abruzzo, Puglia, Trentino Alto Adige, Piedmont, Lombardy, Veneto, Liguria, Emilia Romagna, Lazio and Campania, for an illicit business in which the hand is also suspected from the “Foggia mafia”, given the involvement of subjects close to figures within criminal organizations in the Gargano. The investigative team has thus outlined the existence of a criminal association dedicated to the perpetration, with the aggravating mafia, of frauds to the detriment of the national and community budget, which would have been implemented through undue requests for contributions to the European Agricultural Guarantee Fund ( EAGF) in the sector of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).
To defraud Brussels, the criminal association, operational since 2014, of which 13 people are said to be members, allegedly simulated possession of the necessary requirements to obtain the availability of land and corresponding CAP titles, issued free of charge by the National Title Reserve to new young people agricultural entrepreneurs.
According to the investigators, the new fictitious agricultural companies would have been in cahoots with as many agricultural cooperative companies or temporary business associations, set up to buy up thousands of hectares of land whose concession for civic use was put up for tender by the Municipalities.
The frauds, ascertained by the financiers, would amount to approximately 5 million euros and the individuals and companies involved are accused in various capacities of self-laundering, reuse of illicit proceeds, receiving stolen goods, aggravated fraud against the State and for obtaining public funds.
