Bari, drug trafficking: 15 arrests

(LaPresse) The financiers of the Provincial Command of Bari and of the Central Organized Crime Investigation Service – with the support of the local Air and Naval Operations Department and personnel of the Provincial Command of the Guardia di Finanza of Foggia – carried out personal precautionary measures against 31 suspects, of including 15 in prison, 14 under house arrest and two recipients of the residence obligation residing in the provinces of Bari, BAT, Foggia, Teramo and Chieti, as well as a preventive seizure decree of assets worth approximately 2 million euros. The people affected by the restrictive measures are investigated, for various reasons, for association aimed at trafficking in narcotic or psychotropic substances, as well as the illicit production, trafficking and possession of the same. The investigation made it possible to reveal the existence of a criminal group with operational headquarters in the province of Foggia and branches in those of Bari and BAT. Numerous operational findings were made during the investigations which allowed the seizure of approximately 150 kilograms of hashish and 200 thousand euros in cash, as well as several arrests in flagrante delicto. The association, according to the investigations, was characterized by a high organizational capacity and had a significant availability of financial and instrumental means, having a “common fund” and actual “operating accounting”.