VICENZA (ITALPRESS) – The Carabinieri of Vicenza on the whole of the national territory, in particular in the Beric capital and other provinces of Veneto, but also in the provinces of Frosinone and Viterbo, have carried out an order of precautionary detention in prison against 20 people, aimed at disarticular a criminal organization constituted by Nigerian people and rooted in Vicenza.
Investigates are all nationals of Nigerian nationality, between 25 and 57 years old, seriously suspected of belonging to a transnational criminal organization dedicated to the trafficking of drugs of the cocaine and heroin type, with an operational basis in the Berrian capital. The organization was structured to ensure a constant supply and widespread distribution of drugs in the main squares of spaccio of the capital and the province, as well as in other squares of spaccio of the whole region Veneto and the neighbouring Lombardy.
The supply channel, which remained unchanged for the entire time span of the survey, was placed in the Netherlands, while the management of contacts and agreements for the sending of drugs in Italy was entrusted to the head of the partnership, fully identified during the investigation. The importation of drugs from the Netherlands to Italy occurred through ovulator couriers (“body packer”), who, after ingestion of ovules containing astounding, reached the national territory passing through France and crossing the frontier of Ventimiglia on board passenger trains. The operating scheme was repeated regularly, according to almost weekly cadence: each courier carried about 1 kilogram of astounding substance (cocaine or heroin), divided into thermo-solded ovules weighing about 11 grams each. On each ovulus was etched, with a marker, an identification of the final buyer, an element that allowed to trace the local distribution network.
All the subjects involved in the precautionary measure are involved in the redistribution of the narcotic to the town squares. The investigations, protracted for almost 2 years, have allowed to define the existence of a criminal organization structured on multiple levels, with clearly outlined roles: a supplier based in the Netherlands, in charge of finding and sending drugs; a promoter in Italy, responsible for the management and coordination of operational activities; a network of ovulator couriers dedicated to the “corporeal” transport of drugs; a group of local distributors responsible for packaging and retailing. Technical activities and observation services have allowed to document several significant episodes. Among the most important: in April 2025, at the railway station of Padua, a 34-year-old was under arrest while carrying 1,1 kg of cocaine hidden in the bra, subdivided into 110 ovules, after having arrived in Italy from France; in September 2024, an intervention at a home of Camponogara led to the seizure of 46 ovules of cocaine (about 500 grams), some of which had just been discharged in the same month, at the train station of Vicenza, a 35-year-old courier was stopped while carrying 20 ovules of cocaine, of which 2 cloaked in the purse and 18 ingested, subsequently expelled in hospital environment. In the course of the investigation it was also possible to decode the cryptic language used by inquiries in communications: the term “TOP” was reported to cocaine, “SPA” to heroin, “Pantaloncino” at doses of 5 grams and “Fogli di caramel” to cash money. The seizure of bookkeeping manuscripts has documented daily deposits and movements of money attributable to a large turnover, with payments made through international transfers to Nigerian current accounts for tens of thousands of euros.
The gip of the Court of Venice has placed the precautionary custody in prison for all the twenty investigated, highlighting the “dangerous professionalism” of the group and the concrete risk of escape, considered also the numerous specific precedents to the responsibility of some belonging to the organization. The execution of restrictive measures and search was carried out with the competition of Carabinieri of reinforcement coming from all the Provincial Commands of Veneto, with the support of the Furniture and Special Departments of the Arma, the Anti-drug Cinofile Units and the Carabinieri helicopters, which ensured air coverage during operations. The “Marshall” Operation underlines the polluters “is an important result of the international drug counteract and transnational criminal organisations, confirming the ongoing commitment of the Carabinieri in the area and in the protection of the community.” (ITALPRESS). .
– photo press office Carabinieri –
(ITALPRESS).
