OPERATION “PLATINUM DIA”

On 5 May 2021, within the framework of Operation “Platinum DIA”, officers from the Operations Centre in Turin, in cooperation with other DIA offices and territorial police forces, executed 33 arrest warrants, issued by the G.I.P. (Judge in charge of pre-trial investigations) at the Turin Court and by the competent judicial authorities in Konstanz (Germany), against as many subjects believed to be responsible for the crimes of Mafia-type association, conspiracy for the purpose of international drug trafficking, money laundering, fraudulently registering property, extortion and other offences – the Mafia methods used being an aggravating circumstance.
At the same time an Italian citizen was arrested in Germany who was in possession of drugs, and many searches were carried out resulting in the seizure of 4 handguns, 505 grams of cocaine, about 1 kg of hashish, about €65,000 in cash and various jewels.
The competent judicial authority also ordered the value-based seizure of company assets, property, cars, bank and post office current accounts to the value of about €5 million.
The operation, which began in 2016 following the statement given by a cooperating witness, has allowed to ascertain that a number of subjects were affiliated with the ‘Ndrangheta locale (crime family) of Volpiano, in the Turin province, and to discover a further ‘Ndrangheta group linked to the Giorgi family active in San Luca, Reggio Calabria. This group was actively engaged in international drug trafficking with members operating in the Italian regions of Calabria, Piedmont, Lombardy, Sardinia and Sicily as well as in Baden- Württemberg, one of Germany’s tourist attractions.
Investigations have allowed to gain an insight into the criminal activities of the San Luca organization – with interceptions playing a key role in the investigative process – and gather evidence about the drug trafficking the aforementioned Giorgi family was running between Holland, Germany, Spain and Italy, the profits of which are believed to have been invested in commercial activities especially in Germany.
Over a number of years, DIA investigations have allowed to seize over 418 kg of drugs from this criminal group as well as thousands of euros in cash.