Reggio Calabria, 12 arrests for ‘Ndrangheta: 3 companies seized

(LaPresse) ‘Arangea’ is the name of the operation through which the Carabinieri of Reggio Calabria arrested 12 people, one of whom was under house arrest, on charges of mafia association, extortion, fictitious registration of goods and weapons. The investigating judge also ordered the preventive seizure of three companies, all based in Reggio Calabria, two of which were fictitiously registered in the name of third parties, but in fact fully available to the suspects. The investigations made it possible to reconstruct the dynamics and structures of the ‘ndrangheta structure operating in the Arangea district, reconstructing the methods of control of the territory – through a widespread extortion system – and the hidden management of various economic enterprises. In the same way, the internal reorganization dynamics activated to fill the power voids after the arrest of top management elements during the period of the activity were reconstructed. The reorganization phases find perfect adherence with the ‘Ndrangheta system already emerged in the Crime investigation, in whose sentence the definition of ‘local’ and ‘endowments’ is reported, as well as the existence of the ‘new bank’, a term with which the leaders of the ‘Ndrangheta intended to reorganize the positions within the club. The data in question was confirmed when the arrested Demetrio Palumbo intended to carry out this reorganization within the Arangea premises involving Sebastiano Praticò, already definitively convicted in the “Crime” trial, where he had been recognized as a participant in the gang operating in the southern area of ​​Reggio Calabria and held a provincial level position as representative of the Reggio Calabria district. The criminal group, which also had illegally possessed weapons at its disposal, systematically controlled commercial activities and construction sites with the aim of making unfair profits. Attempted infiltrations have emerged in the large-scale retail sector with the intention of imposing hiring. The investigations also highlighted the association’s business projects in the citrus sector, particularly in the bergamot sector, where two companies were active, registered in the name of frontmen but attributable to an associate, who expanded their commercial interests by using in some cases those methods that are peculiar to the ‘ndrangheta articulations. The two companies were subjected to preventive seizure. At the same time as the personal restrictive measures, the investigating judge ordered the preventive seizure of 3 companies, all based in Reggio Calabria, two of which were fictitiously registered in the name of third parties, but in fact fully available to the suspects.