An intense cocaine trafficking on the Calabria-Sicily axis was discovered and defeated thanks to investigations by the Flying Squad of the Catania Police Headquarters. Around 100 police officers are engaged in the execution of an order with which the investigating magistrate of Catania, at the request of the local anti-mafia district directorate, has ordered personal precautionary measures against 13 suspects. The hypothesized crimes, for various reasons and with different profiles of responsibility, are criminal association aimed at trafficking in narcotic substances such as cocaine, possession and carrying of firearms and drug dealing.
Who are the suspects?
The recipients of the provision are Giuseppe Addamo, 45 years old; Bruno Cidoni, 50 years old; Luigi Danilo Garozzo, 31 years old; Gino Gueli, 35 years old; Francesco Mannino, 37 years old; Antonio Pezzano, 32 years old; Angelo Ribera, 37 years old; Carmelo Scilio, 50 years old; Francesco Sedici, 53 years old; Pietro Sedici, 34 years old; Salvatore Torrisi, 61 years old; Santo Vitale, 60 years old; Pasquale Zangari, 55 years old. The suspects are seriously suspected of the crime of criminal association aimed at trafficking and dealing in narcotic substances. Furthermore, some of them are suspected of the crimes of possession and illegal possession of a common clandestine firearm.
Business between Calabria and Sicily
The restrictive measure, issued on the basis of investigations coordinated by the District Anti-Mafia Directorate and carried out by the Flying Squad – Anti-Drug Section of the Catania Police Headquarters, includes the results of a complex and detailed investigative activity started in June 2020. The investigation, supported by telephone, environmental and telematic interceptions and video recordings, made it possible to acquire significant elements against a criminal association dedicated to cocaine trafficking on the Calabria-Sicily axis.
The activities initially involved the group led by Carmelo Scilio, known as “aricchiazza”, considered among the most well-known cocaine traffickers operating in this capital. In particular, it was possible to trace the trafficker’s cocaine supplier, who was identified as Calabrian Bruno Cidoni, who has been in business with Catania criminal groups for years and has long been established in the city of Catania, having his own operational base in the San Giovanni district. Galermo.
Cidoni’s role
The investigations therefore focused precisely on the figure of Cidoni, who allegedly managed a vast cocaine trafficking from Calabria, having his main collaborators in the co-regional Pezzano and Zangari and in the Catanese Vitale, Pietro Sedici, Addamo, Ribera and Francesco Sedici. The latter would have been permanently employed as a courier during the multiple transports of large consignments of cocaine from Calabria to this capital through the use of cars equipped with special hidden compartments.
The investigative action, in addition to allowing the reconstruction of the internal structure of the association believed to be headed by Cidoni, made it possible to document, in just under six months, as many as 20 transports and deliveries of large quantities of narcotics which were allegedly carried out by the criminal association to numerous criminals from Catania, some of whom were believed to be linked to various mafia clans in the capital. During the investigation, several seizures of narcotic substances (overall, 11 kilos of cocaine) and weapons were carried out (seizure of a 38 special caliber revolver pistol with abraded serial number and related ammunition). The sum of €90,300.00 in cash was also found, walled up in a wall of Cidoni’s house.
