THE DIREZIONE INVESTIGATIVA ANTIMAFIA SEIZED ASSETS WORTH OVER 15 MILLION EUROS

The Direzione Investigativa Antimafia carried out an order of seizure aimed at the confiscation, issued under the anti-mafia law by the Court in Catanzaro -Section Preventive Measures – upon the proposal made jointly by the Prosecutor’s Office at the court in Catanzaro and the DIA Directors, against an entrepreneur operating in the sale of protective equipment, who is currently under ex 41 bis detention regime.

In January 2021 he was subject to a pre-trail detention order within the well-known operation “Profilo Basso” of the DDA in Catanzaro.

After the first-instance trial in July 2023 he was sentenced to 30 years of imprisonment for mafia-type association.

The investigation reports highlighted that he acted as point of reference ofr some of the most dangerous ‘ndrangheta-type crime groups in the province of Crotone. In particular, he had a de facto monopoly in the supply of protective equipment and used his companies to help the cosche infiltrate the domestic economy.

Though companies issuing invoices for nonexistent operations, the entrepreneur had a privileged relation with the top-ranking figures of the cosche in San Leonardo di Cutro (KR) and Roccabernarda (KR) with the purpose of helping such crime groups. The allegations were confirmed by the statements of cooperating witnesses and from interceptions, which also highlighted the presence of several crime groups, including the group having the entrepreneur as top-ranking figure. The businessman could rely on a network of companies, which were used to meet the needs of the crime groups through money laundering and fictious registrations.

The asset-related checks carried out highlighted that the assets registered for or somehow linked to the entrepreneur, were the outcome or reinvestment of illicit activities and, in any case, there was disproportion with the income declared.

The confiscation order involved:

– 7 companies and corporate assets;

– company shares;

– 11 real estate assets;

– 30 movable assets;

– 23 financial relations with an overall estimated value of over 15 million euros.

Today’s operation is part of the institutional activities aimed at attacking the assets, which are illicitly gained and are directly or indirectly linked to criminal activities so to protect the domestic healthy economy.

Catanzaro, 09 October 2023