The Piarulli clan has become the main player in the criminal scene of Cerignola and Basso Tavoliere. This is what emerges from the latest report to Parliament from the Anti-Mafia Investigation Directorate (DIA), containing the report of the activities carried out in the January-June 2023 semester.
CRIMINAL BUSINESS The results of the judicial police operations confirm that the main businesses of the criminal association are: «the large-scale management of drug trafficking; thefts of vehicles, including special ones, and cars used for receiving stolen goods and money laundering; the trafficking of weapons, hydrocarbons and sophisticated alcoholic products”. The investigators recall, in particular, the operations “The Cat and the Fox” – of January 2023 – and “Cocktail” – of March 2023 – which led to the arrest of thirty-six subjects. Although reduced compared to the past, attacks on valuables, robberies of lorry drivers and thefts from vaults remain among the main criminal activities of the group. The investigations, in fact, have shown «the peculiar attitude of the association in the management, both in the organizational and executive phases, of sensational and alarming criminal events in terms of methods and unscrupulousness».
RECYCLING ACTIVITIES The large profits from illicit activities are then systematically recycled into the legal economy. The investigators reveal how the Piarulli clan actually disposes «of a high financial capacity such as to be able to diversify recycling operations into various economic activities». The investigators identify among the activities that the association uses to clean up dirty money «management of reception rooms, hotels, fuel stations, supermarkets, car parks, companies in the agri-food sector».
RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHER CLANS There are no conflicts with the other clan operating in Cerignola, that of the Ditommaso, who, on the contrary, «collaborate with the first (Piarulli, ed.) in some criminal sectors, namely in that of extortion, robberies and narcoticsthe”. In general, the DIA highlights how the Cerignola underworld has been able to weave synergies and alliances with the criminal groups of the neighboring centres, in particular with the Masciavè in Stornara, the Moretti-Pellegrino-Lanza in Foggia, the Raduano in Vieste and various criminal personalities of BAT.
