1 suspect, 621 people checked, 25 sensitive sites inspected, 39 Polfer operators involved: this is the balance of the third day of the year called operation “Red Gold” dedicated, at a national level, to combating the phenomenon of copper theft in the railway sector. The aim of the Operation is to trace and interrupt the chain of illegality linked to the so-called “red gold”, which causes considerable economic damage to companies that are victims of copper predators as well as inconvenience to citizens in the use of public services and public utilities. The checks, carried out throughout the region, involved the railway lines where criminal episodes sometimes occurred as well as 13 centers for scrapping and processing special and metal waste, where possession of the authorizations to carry out the activity were verified and to the treatment of materials, compliance with environmental regulations and the traceability of treated metals.
In Catania, the Polfer agents, during the checks, proceeded to report a man at liberty who was transporting waste consisting of electrical and electronic equipment on board a motorbike without any authorization. Various administrative sanctions were imposed on the individual for an amount of approximately 6,000 euros.