«In the Liguria Region, Calabrian mafia crime is structured through the premises of Genoa, Lavagna (GE) and Ventimiglia, identifying “Liguria” as a criminal macro-area subjected to the control of the Calabrian gangs established there. Furthermore, recently there has been judicial consideration of a further significant operational establishment in Bordighera (IM).
Regarding the presence of groups of other criminal origins, we note the presence of individual extra-regional projections of the Camorra and the Sicilian Mafia, although not organized into structured associations – we read in the document presented to the Chamber by the Minister of the Interior Matteo Piantedosi -. All the Ligurian provinces are characterized by the presence of foreign criminal associations, often made up of irregular non-EU citizens of African, South American or Eastern European origin, operating mostly in the drug trafficking and dealing sector. Some recent anti-drug activities, among other things, have given evidence of operational synergies between Albanian organized crime with subjects attributable to the ‘ndrangheta and indigenous crime”.
The province by province report
Genoa
In the province of Genoa the ‘ndrangheta is structured in the premises of Genoa and Lavagna.
Precisely in the Genoese territorial context, we note the capture which took place on 27 April 2023, by the Carabinieri, of a top exponent of the Bonavota gang who had been wanted since December 2019, having been arrested by a precautionary custody order in prison for the crime of mafia association, issued as part of the well-known “Rinascita-Scott” operation. In this context, the man was recognized as the promoter, leader and organizer of the Bonavota gang, with the responsibility of taking the most important decisions in the interests of the association even outside the region of origin.
Also relevant is the ruling of the Court of Appeal of Genoa in the “Ponente Forever” trial issued on 4 January 2023 which condemned a person of Calabrian origin held responsible for numerous episodes of possession and sale of cocaine and hashish and for having favored the inaction of a member of the GALLICO gang of Palmi (RC).
As regards activities to combat drug trafficking, on 2 February 2023 the Financial Police carried out a precautionary custody order8 against 4 individuals deemed responsible for the importation of a load of 435 kg of cocaine, previously seized in port of Pra’ (GE) on 7 February 2022, inside a container of coffee coming from Rio de Janeiro. In that circumstance, among other things, the complicity of a port employee was revealed.
On 13 June 2023, the Court of Genoa, as part of the “Maglio 3″9 trial, sentenced a person 10 who, in the context of the administrative elections of March 2010, allegedly promised the donation of sums of money and other benefits to top exponents of the Ligurian ‘ndrangheta who committed themselves to channeling their votes and those of people close to them to the candidate. Finally, as part of the anti-mafia prevention activity, the Prefect of Genoa, in the semester in question, issued 3 interdictory measures against 2 companies found to be close to ‘Ndrangheta contexts (one active in the goods transport sector and the other in the construction sector) and 1 (active in the transport sector) adjacent to Sicilian mafia associations.
Imperia
In the province of Imperia, the Ventimiglia establishment is operating, belonging to the MARCIANÒ of Delianuova (RC) and an expression of the Piromalli and Mazzaferro gangs, and the Bordighera structure, attributable to the Barilaro-Pellegrino families, a projection of the Santaiti Gioffrè gang of Seminara (RC ).
Furthermore, the operation in Sanremo (IM) of individuals linked to the Gallico di Palmi (RC) gang is confirmed, as emerged from recent judicial events.
On 17 May 2023, the State Police in Ventimiglia subjected a criminal of Campania origin to house arrest in execution of a European arrest warrant issued as part of the larger WEureka operation”, which has been extensively mentioned in the chapters relating to Regions of Calabria and Lombardy and which involved an association aimed at drug trafficking with the aggravating circumstance of transnationality and large quantities. The investigation, conducted by the district prosecutors of Genoa, Milan and Reggio Calabria under the coordination of the DNA, developed through the European judicial and investigative cooperation of Eurojust, Europol @On and the Interpol I-CAN project. The man was held responsible for reusing money deriving from drug trafficking through a commercial restaurant business in France under the aegis of a prominent member of the Giorgi family from San Luca (RC).
Savona
In the province of Savona and, in particular, in the area of Toirano (SV), a projection of the Raso-Gullace-Albanese gang of Cittanova (RC) is active.
On 16 March 2023, the DIA executed a decree12 of confiscation of assets issued by the Court of Reggio Calabria against a person originally from Cittanova (RC), but long rooted in Albenga (SV) and considered “close” to a gang of ‘Ndrangheta from Cittanova, whose operational projections in Liguria had also been confirmed following the outcome of a previous investigation, at the conclusion of which the DIA and the State Police had carried out a precautionary detention order against 42 people suspected of association of mafia type, fictitious registration of assets and corruption, including the proposed one. Specifically, he would have had the strategic function of conveying communications between the various members of the clan and his brother, leader and promoter of the gang. Despite the acquittal of the Court of Palmi in July 2020, the Court of Reggio Calabria also issued the confiscation order, believing that the circumstantial framework resulting from the previous investigation nevertheless determined the formulation of a judgment of social dangerousness for the man for contiguity to the aforementioned criminal gang. The provision ordered the confiscation of 2 real estate properties and 1 banking relationship for a total value of 400 thousand euros.
On 19 April 2023, the Court of Savona convicted13 two brothers originally from Africo (RC), entrepreneurs in the construction sector14, for the joint crime of disrupting the freedom of auctions aggravated by the mafia method. The matter emerged on 26 July 2022, when the Savona State Police had carried out a precautionary custody order against one of the two entrepreneurs, linked by family ties with members of the Morabito-Palamara-Bruzzaniti African gang and for some time established in Savona because, with threats and making use of the intimidating power of the associative bond, he removed some bidders from a public auction announced by the Court of Savona.
On 3 May 2023, following the “Sunset” operation, the DIA and the Carabinieri carried out a precautionary custody order against 15 individuals under investigation, for various reasons, for association aimed at trafficking, producing and dealing drugs. Specifically, the operations of an association emerged, operating in Savona and in other localities in Italy and abroad, active in the importation, sale and illicit possession of cocaine and heroin, directed, among others, by a well-known fugitive of ‘ndrangheta. The investigative activity made it possible to outline a highly circumstantial picture thanks to a Europol report relating to the use of encrypted chats on messaging platforms which allowed the exchange of communications via a private global network of servers. The association, in interaction with a South American group, was involved in at least two imports of cocaine from Spain weighing 31 kg and 50 kg, as well as in the related distribution in Italy.
At the same time, the “Money Delivery” operation was carried out in Milan, fully described in the part relating to Lombardy, concerning an association aimed at drug trafficking with the aggravating circumstances of transnationality and large quantities. This organization involved two brothers also investigated in the “Sunset” investigation. Again with reference to the narcotics sector, it should be noted that on 2 January 2023 the Financial Police of Genoa and Bari, following a house search at an accommodation facility in Celle Ligure (SV), proceeded with the flagrant arrest of 4 subjects of Albanian nationality found in possession of 285 bricks containing over 354 kg of cocaine.
At the port of Savona, on 17 January 2023, the Financial Police seized one ton of cocaine, hidden in the keel of a merchant ship flying the Hong Kong flag, coming from Santos (Brazil) after an intermediate stop at the port terminal of Punta Pereyra (Uruguay).
As part of an inspection of a truck at the Ceriale Sud (SV) service area, on 1 March 2023, the State Police found 261 kg of hashish and 107 kg of marijuana, proceeding with the flagrant arrest of the Albanian driver of the vehicle. Some drug loads were found by the Financial Police in the port of Vado Ligure (SV). On March 15, 2023, approximately 47 kg of cocaine were seized, divided into 42 blocks, inside a container of shelled hazelnuts from Valparaiso (Chile).
Again on March 23, 2023, 3 Albanians were arrested in flagrante delicto intent on recovering 81 kg of cocaine in a container containing bananas and coming from Ecuador. Finally, on 12 April 2023, another individual, also Albanian, was arrested red-handed and caught recovering over 84 kg of cocaine hidden in a container also coming from Ecuador loaded with bananas.
Spice
In the province of La Spezia, we note the presence of family groups active in diversified economic sectors considered contiguous to the Grande Aracri gangs of Cutro (KR) and FARAO-MARINCOLA gangs of Cirò Marina (KR).
During the half-year period, it should be noted that on 10 February 2023, in La Spezia and Carrara (MS), the State Police and the Carabinieri jointly executed a precautionary custody order against 5 subjects of South American origin, investigated because they had imported from Colombia with the complicity of a courier who had ingested the ova, containing over 1 kg of cocaine, and who died due to the breakage of one of the wrappers.
