
New details have emerged from the anti-drug operation in Pescara today, where 16 people were arrested, including Albanians.
Italian media have published the names and photographs of 11 of the 16 arrested, three of whom are women, one Albanian.
A detail that immediately caught my eye is the fact that most of them have family ties.
The Carabinieri of the Pescara Company executed 16 preliminary arrest warrants nine in prison and seven in house arrest issued by the preliminary investigation judge at the request of the Pescara Public Prosecutor's Office.
The operation included Pescara and Montesilvano and uncovered a vast drug trafficking network with implications as far as Albania.
As reported, the investigation began with targeted surveillance of drug use, with particular attention to the so-called "Pescara elite."
In-depth investigations gradually revealed a structured and deep-rooted criminal network, linked to individuals of Italian and Albanian nationality, involved in a network of relationships useful for illegal trafficking.
The gang blackmailed and threatened drug debtors, mainly cocaine, including doctors, lawyers, and bar and restaurant businessmen.
Cocaine trafficking occurred mainly in the nightlife areas of Pescara, in residential complexes in Montesilvano, and in public institutions such as restaurants and beach resorts in the capital, frequented by people of high socio-economic backgrounds.
The drug trafficking network operated in a stable and discreet manner, adopting an almost “family” approach to business, capable of securing daily sales and an estimated monthly income of over 150,000 euros.
In the event of non-payment or internal disputes, threat and violence were used to reassert control over the market.
During the investigation, which lasted more than a year, the carabinieri seized large quantities of drugs.