Smuggling ‘blondes’ on the Naples-Palermo axis, investigated: “We made the record”

The smuggled cigarettes arrived in Palermo from Naples on board of hired cars or on scheduled buses in the suitcases that the couriers carried with them. A ploy to deal with the latest kidnappings of the yellow flames which, however, did not help. The financiers of the Provincial Command of Palermo carried out 14 precautionary measures this morning against as many suspects, accused of criminal association aimed at smuggling cigarettes. Three people ended up in prison, eight under house arrest, while for the other three the obligation to report to the judicial police was ordered. The measures were issued by the investigating judge of the Sicilian capital at the request of the local district anti-mafia directorate. The seizure of assets for a total value of over 2.5 million euros was also triggered against six of the suspects. Investigators from the second metropolitan operational nucleus of the Palermo Group documented the activity of a gang which had its operational headquarters in Brancaccio, but which had managed to impose its monopoly in various city districts. A turnover of over 2.5 million euros. On the Neapolitan square, in fact, each stick was purchased for 21 euros, to be then resold in the Sicilian capital wholesale for 28 euros and retail for 35 euros. At the head of the organization a Palermitan and his lieutenant, both ended up in prison, as well as the Neapolitan supplier of the ‘blondes’ and point of contact with foreign brokers. Once in the city, the cigarettes were stored in three warehouses rented by some nominees in Corso dei Mille and in Settecannoli and then sold on the ‘stalls’ set up in the areas of Oreto-Stazione, Settecannoli, Borgo Vecchio, Brancaccio, Ballarò, Sperone and Zen. . In the course of the investigations, five people were arrested in flagrant status, 20 were reported, while 530 kilos of foreign processed tobacco were seized. “The intimidating force of the associates – explains Colonel Andrea Canale, commander of the Gdf Palermo Group – also manifested itself through threats and extortion to anyone who tried to enter the clandestine market as a competitor”. In April 2021 another 15 people had been arrested for the same crime. And the head of the organization on several occasions had taken on the responsibility of paying the legal costs of those arrested. “But did you understand that we broke the record? Word of honor! You see that reaching twenty cases … but why would 200 in this minute be enough?”, One of the suspects boasted not knowing he was being intercepted. Business was booming. “Will you do me a courtesy? You write me the whole note, with everything you have, the prices … so we can organize ourselves”, asked one of the arrested to the accomplice who listed the ‘goods’ available. “Today’s operation shows that cigarette smuggling is unfortunately still present in the capital, especially in the districts of Brancaccio, Oreto, Zen and Montegrappa – says the provincial commander of the Guardia di Finanza, General Antonio Nicola Quintavalle Cecere -. the budget of the State and of the European Union. Suffice it to think that, according to the latest estimates by Olaf, the damage to the tax authorities at European level is around 10 billion euros. over 700 million “. Tobacco smuggling is historically one of the priorities of the Finance Police, as the economic-financial police. “The counteraction is constant and is carried out by the departments of the Provincial Command of Palermo – concludes Quintavalle – both through the daily economic control of the territory in the city and along the main road arteries, and with a penetrating investigative action aimed at identifying suppliers and wholesalers like the one that led to the arrests and kidnappings carried out today. ” (by Rossana Lo Castro)