A judge of the Court of Naples signs the seizure of an island.
Not in Italy but in the Gulf of Dubai. A more unique than rare provision, the result of an investigative activity conducted in recent months, strictly under investigation, by the Naples Prosecutor’s Office.
In summary, he was the magistrate of the Court of Naples Maria Luisa Miranda to sign the request for seizure of the island of Taiwan, which belongs to an artificial archipelago built in recent years by a real estate company. A turning point in the investigation conducted against the drug trafficker (now repentant) Raffaele Imperiale, who brought up the history of the island a few months ago. Accused during the drug trafficking trial, here Imperiale risks a 12-year prison sentence, net of the benefit granted to those who decide to collaborate with justice. In this process, the turning point of the Island.
Months ago he wrote to the prosecutor Maurizio De Marcomagistrate who deserves the credit for having explored the plot of Imperiale’s relationships, as head of the investigations together with his colleague Lucio Giuglianotogether with the prosecutor Vincenza Marra (today to predatory crime). A letter in which he made a real estate available to Italian justice: it is the island called “Taiwan” and which was built in an artificial archipelago called “The World”.
From that moment on, the investigation began on a double level: on the one hand, to ascertain the changes in ownership that affected the ownership of the island; on the other hand, to establish the conditions, on an international level, of a letter rogatory to carry out the seizure and future confiscation. On the one hand, the seizure order was notified to Imperiale, on the other, a mutual legal assistance procedure was activated with the United Arab Emirates, for a letter rogatory aimed at formally taking possession of the island.
But let’s go back to “Taiwan”. On the contrary. Let’s go back to the preliminary hearing judge’s provision Maria Luisa Miranda. In the documents there are statements from Imperiale which clarifies how the decision to invest on the island was born. In summary, the asset would have a value ranging between 30 and 50 million dollars (although the final estimate will be up to the consultants) and was created thanks to the contribution of a star architect. Imperiale explains, regarding the internationally renowned designer: «he agreed to carry out this project because he didn’t know me. That island cost me 30 million dollars, it was bought by me in 2008.”
But that is not all. Again thanks to the collaboration of Imperiale, the triangulation built from 2008 onwards by the same broker was reconstructed: the island is registered in the name of a real estate company created also thanks to capital from the former boss; and is registered to a Neapolitan citizen, an entrepreneur who lives in the North and who has worked for years between Madrid and Dubai. From the documentation provided by the company’s directors it appears clear that the possession of the island can be traced back to Imperiale, thus sufficient to support the seizure request.
Defended by the Genoese criminal lawyer Maurizio Frizzi, Imperiale received notification of the seizure of the island a few days ago. It is difficult to imagine that he would appeal to the Review, given his willingness to collaborate with justice. And it is the Neapolitan investigating judge himself who clarifies the importance of the seizure, who strengthens a collaborative turning point which – after the delivery of the paintings of Van Gogh – records a formidable response: «It must be revealed that despite the huge profits obtained from the trafficking of tons of cocaine, Imperiale has not so far made real estate and immovable property or sums of money in any form available to this judicial authority.
This allows us to believe that the estimated value of the island in question (ranging from 30 to 50 million euros) is enormously lower than the profit or product of the illicit activity for which he is on trial was certainly». Now it’s a question of letters rogatory. And of international protocols, to monetize an asset currently under Emirati sovereignty.
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