Within the framework of “Nestore” Operation carried out in Pavia and Novara, personnel of the Field Office of the Direzione Investigativa Antimafia (DIA) in Milan arrested on 13rd July 2010 CHIRIACO Carlo Antonio, Director of Pavia Local Health Authority, BERTUCCA Francesco and COLUCCIO Rocco.
At the same time, several searches were executed as well as seizures of movable and immovable property, including companies of people, for an amount of about 7.2 million euros. Local entrepreneurs and politicians held responsible for corruption affairs received six notifications of impending investigation.
The investigations conducted by the DIA made it possible to detect the presence of a ‘Ndrangheta structure, whose members were connected with the so-called “Mandamento Jonico” which had established a number of “locali” in Lombardy and a top body, called “Lombardia”, with functions of coordination and control of the criminal activities.
Because of a targeted procedural strategy chosen by Milan Judicial Authorities, the DIA activity was merged into the broader Operation “Infinito”, which saw the involvement of the Carabinieri of Milan and Monza. Among its effects, a series of custodial orders were issued against 157 additional individuals, held responsible, in various capacities, for the crimes of mafia-type association, murder, money laundering, extortion, usury, crimes against property, violation of the law on weapons and drugs, corruption, fictitious registration of assets and illegal practice of financial activity. Concurrently, Carabinieri from the Special Operations Unit (ROS) and the Provincial Command of Reggio Calabria, as well as police officers from the C.I.D. of Reggio Calabria, executed 121 investigative detention orders.
Moreover, the evidence collected allowed the arrest, for membership of mafia-type association, of BARRANCA Cosimo, head of Milan locale, PANETTA Pietro Francesco, LUCA ‘Nicola, of Colmano locale, and MANDALARI Vincenzo, of Bollate locale, who were subsequently sentenced to more that10 years in prison.
On 21st October 2010, in the same investigative context, the DIA in Milan executed another pre-trial detention order against four persons including the aforementioned CHIRIACO Carlo Antonio.
The aforementioned individuals, with the aggravating circumstance of the mafia method, would have interfered in a bidding process, manipulating it.
