A real ‘drug supermarket’ and two dealing points operating 24 hours a day: this is what was discovered in Cerignola by the Carabinieri, who this morning executed two separate precautionary custody orders, issued by the investigating judge of the Court of Foggia, upon request of the Foggia Prosecutor’s Office, against a total of 20 suspects (of which 11 recipients of precautionary custody in prison, 4 of house arrest and 5 of the residence ban), held responsible in various capacities for detention for the purpose of dealing narcotic substances in competition .
The restrictive measures arise from the Carabinieri’s investigative maneuver aimed at breaking down the main drug dealing activities in Cerignano, subject to continuous monitoring from November 2022 to June 2023.
The first investigative activity – started in November 2022 and concluded in January 2023 – made it possible to document how 6 suspects – all recipients of pre-trial detention in prison – operated in such a way as to offer a real ‘drug supermarket’ in a room in the center citizen. Already during the investigations – during which over 1,300 sales of narcotics were documented (with an average of 35 per day) – 1 person was arrested in flagrante delicto for illicit possession for the purpose of selling narcotic substances and 7 users were reported to the local Prefecture, and over 100 grams of hashish, cocaine and marijuana were seized.
The second investigative activity – started in January 2023 – made it possible to collect elements of criminality against 14 suspects (all Italian, of which 5 were sent to prison, 4 to house arrest and 5 to a residence ban). The Carabinieri, coordinated by the Prosecutor’s Office, ascertained the methods of purchase, transport and retail sale of narcotics, carried out in the Cerignola hinterland and in other neighboring provinces, also documenting the buying and selling of narcotics between some suspects, who, although autonomous, would be thus managed to guarantee a constant availability of narcotics.
Furthermore, the setting up of two drug dealing points was found, respectively at the residence of a suspect under house arrest and at an apartment located close to the city centre, where 24-hour operations would have been guaranteed. Two other suspects would have, according to the information gathered by the military personnel, carried out home and made-to-order sales. In confirmation of the evidence that has emerged, already during the investigations 6 people have been arrested in flagrante delicto for possession for the purpose of trafficking of narcotic substances, 8 have been referred to police for the same crime and 3 drug users have been reported to the local Prefecture, while a total of approximately 2 kg of hashish, cocaine and marijuana were seized, as well as approximately 1,500 euros in cash considered proceeds of drug dealing.
