Cala Goloritzè has been linked to the Chinese mafia; the Municipality of Baunei has issued a formal warning to the editor of a well-known blog that focuses on organized crime.
Tommaso Ricciardelli's writings and editorials focus primarily on the mafia. He even dedicated an article to the infiltration of Chinese crime on the island. The problem is that the cover of one Instagram post, the unmistakable title, features the pearl of the Baunei coast as its backdrop.
Alongside, a text. It states, among other things, that "in Sardinia, over the last twenty-five years, there has been no evidence of a structured and stable presence comparable to other regions. But the island is far from immune: several investigations and operations have highlighted incidents linked to Chinese-originated organized crime, primarily related to economic crimes and cover-up activities. Seizures of counterfeit or non-compliant goods, tax fraud involving "shell companies" and false invoices, shell companies, and money laundering: mechanisms that often connect Sardinia to broader supply chains in the rest of Italy and Europe." And there is also talk of massage parlors where prostitution is practiced.
Well-known news, in short. Which wouldn't have caused a stir if it weren't for that image.
Baunei's mayor, Stefano Monni, sent a cease-and-desist letter to the author, demanding the photo's removal: "To date, we have witnessed image thefts of our territory, and we are holding those responsible accountable," the mayor explained.
This morning, "expressing our indignation, we had to warn those who have associated the mafia phenomenon with Cala Goloritzé to remove the image and not to associate the Municipality of Baunei with any criminal phenomenon, and the mafia in particular, with the invitation to offer a formal and public apology to the Baunei community."
Enrico Fresu
