A large-scale operation by the NAS Carabinieri of Turin and Genoa began at dawn this morning against an alleged drug trafficking operation that, according to investigators, involved dozens of people linked to the bodybuilding scene.

The searches, more than sixty, took place simultaneously in forty Italian provinces, making the raid one of the largest in recent years in this sector.

Investigators combed through homes, gyms, and meeting places of enthusiasts and amateur athletes in cities such as Alessandria, Ascoli Piceno, Bologna, Brescia, Cagliari, Campobasso, Como, Cremona, Cuneo, Ferrara, Genoa, Imperia, Lecce, Livorno, Milan, Modena, Monza, Novara, Padua, Parma, Pavia, Pescara, Ravenna, Reggio Calabria, Rimini, Rome, Salerno, Sassari, Savona, Siena, Teramo, Terni, Turin, Treviso, Trieste, Udine, Varese, Venice, Verona, and Vicenza.

The goal was to intercept and seize substances considered doping, often sold illegally through informal channels and, in some cases, digital platforms.

The operation was supported not only by the territorial NAS and the Carabinieri Commands of the areas involved , but also by the Cryptocurrency Section of the Carabinieri Anti-Monetary Adulteration Command, a sign that part of the alleged trafficking could have been managed using online payments or exchanges.

The investigation, coordinated by the Savona Public Prosecutor's Office , is still in the preliminary investigation phase. Investigators are currently analyzing the seized material and reconstructing the network of relationships between the suspects.

(Unioneonline/Fr.Me.)